Lesson One
by SpikedTea
Summary: In the wake of Nikita's betrayal, Amanda has assigned her favorite new Operative to win over Birkhoff in a scheme to investigate his involvement. It might have worked too. . .if the couple wasn't breaking the very rules they'd just been given permission to bend. In a world where a budding romance warrants a death sentence how long can Alicia and Birkhoff hide in plain sight? (B/OC)
1. Operation LemonDrop

His fingers flew over the keys, pausing only to reach for an energy drink. Lifting it to his lips with one hand, the other busy manipulating the mouse, he poured the last few drops onto his tongue. "Where's my refill?" he barked out, not so much as bothering a glance over his shoulder.

Alicia stared at the back of Birkhoff's head, taking in his shaggy brown hair. He was too busy typing away to realize that his Command Center was no longer as empty as it had been. In fact, he was so absorbed in his work he had no idea who was now standing behind him. If he had, he probably wouldn't have crushed the can against the table, slamming it under his fist as one of the startled technicians tried desperately to get his attention. "Uh sir-"

"Genius doesn't fuel itself," he cut the man off. Eyes still locked on his screen, he pointed deftly towards where the refrigerator rested against the far wall.

Amanda flashed Percy a dry smile before striding forwards. Her heels clicked with every step, the sound filling the Command Center. It echoed off the walls as the room fell silent. The poor technician who had been tasked with getting Birkhoff's drink stood frozen, his eyes wide as he turned to catch sight of Amanda. "Birkhoff," her pointed tone took hold on the room as well as the man in question, "can you tell me why I'm here?"

He spun in his chair, quickly scanning over the four that stood before him. His eyes danced over Alicia and her fellow recruit, Samson, to take in Percy for a brief second. One look at the impeccably dressed man and the humorless smirk he donned was enough to send his eyes darting to Amanda in worry. _Just what I needed,_ he thought dryly, _the dragon lady herself._ Trying to keep a straight face he shrugged, raking one of his hands through his shaggy hair to keep it from falling in his eyes. "No, I can't," he answered honestly. When it came to Amanda he didn't even bother with his usual games. She was all business, and he had no interest in the type of business she was oh-so famous for. "I've been in virtual hell, trying to find the semantics behind that encrypted call we intercepted," Birkhoff muttered.

It wasn't hard for Alicia to see the man was shaken by his higher-ups appearing out of nowhere. Whatever he'd been so submerged in only moments ago was now forgotten as he stared up into Amanda's piercing gaze. She couldn't blame him, and the slight jittering of his hand was something she could easily relate to. The woman had the same effect on nearly everyone at Division, even the insanely handsome Michael who stalked the halls like some brooding creature. Word in the halls was that an Agent had gone rogue, and the name behind it held just as much mystery as the woman herself. Nikita; the woman who had single handedly pushed all of Division into Amanda's finely tuned sights.

"I sent for you an _hour_ ago, Birkhoff," she informed him, taking a small step forward. Her hands were clasped together behind her back, a clearly false smile playing on her burgundy lips. It didn't take a genius to see that she had a bone to pick with the man, and Alicia felt sorry for him.

_I'm glad I'm not him, _Alicia silently thanked the gods as she watched the man stiffen. Normally she wouldn't have paid any attention to the guy at the computer desk. Division was her second chance, and the only reason she ought to be sizing a man up should relate to the job and nothing more. Yet she found her eyes taking in his face, filing every little detail away for safe keeping. _So this is Birkhoff in his natural habitat_, her heart picked up as she realized he was in the middle of working on something. She'd often wondered what he'd be like outside of class. As a recruit she'd only ever handled simulations during her training.

He was too focused on Amanda's cool gaze to notice his favorite recruit was taking note on how his lip twitched as he tried to refrain from a biting comment. "How much longer?" Percy spoke up, his tone clearly curious.

"Something like this can take hours-"

"How much longer _Birkhoff?_" Percy repeated himself, cutting Birkhoff short with a pointed stare.

He pursed his lips for a second before glancing back towards his screen. "I can have it done in ten," he admitted, finally letting his eyes flicker to Alicia. He hadn't noticed her until then, and already he could feel himself relaxing. If the _Inquisitor_ was being followed by a newbie then she wasn't about to drag him off for more interrogation time, or so he hoped. Nikita going AWOL had really put him in a tough spot. It hadn't made it past Amanda that the two had developed a friendship, albeit maybe even a crush on his end. He was questioned the moment she was discovered compromised, second in Amanda's and Percy's sights only to Michael.

Alicia had to hold in a smile as he flexed his fingers, eyes flickering back to the keyboard he'd been neglecting. The man was truly at home when it came to technology and was endearingly cocky when it came to his computer skills. She couldn't help but find him oddly cute with his slightly boyish face, and somewhat skater-boy meets nerd apparel. Though he was the head IT guy and resident IT Professor, he too was an active Agent and therefore in good shape.

"Good," Amanda nodded briskly, "then you can brief Samson and Alicia here on Operation Paulter." She motioned for the two recruits to step forward and they obeyed.

Birkhoff eyed Alicia skeptically. His navy eyes danced over her small, slender frame. Though she had a disarmingly sweet face he knew that every inch of her was a trained killer. He didn't doubt Michael had trained her well, but he'd also had a hand in her training. Compared to the other recruits she was surprisingly quick with all of the information he threw at her, and was an ideal student. "Isn't that the one where-"

"_After_ you finish here Birkhoff," she tsked her teeth, flashing a look towards Percy.

It was impossible not to notice Percy's self satisfied smile. He had this look about him, having a lot to do with his intense blue eyes, which made a shiver run down Alicia's spine. "This will be a test run," he informed the head IT.

Birkhoff had guessed that much. "Where's Michael?" he asked, noting his friend's absence. "Shouldn't he be here for the newbs?"

"He's on another mission," Amanda spoke up, tilting her head as she gave him another one of her painted on smiles. "I will be doing the active prep work," she let him know in an offhand manner.

He felt a twinge of jealousy at that information. _He gets to go play James Bond and I'm the babysitter?_ His eyes traced over the young man who stood smugly taking in the Command Center. Michael was the one who had been Nikita's favorite, but that didn't change the fact that he was still number one in Percy's eyes. Unless Birkhoff happened to be introduced to a challenge worthy of him, there were few times that the boss paid attention to the prodigy he had running the technology end of _everything _at Division. "Decode the secret call and give the newbs the 411," he nodded, a hint of his usual sarcasm in his voice, "all in time for dinner."

"The Op is a go tonight," Percy deftly crushed his hopes of an early night.

"I'll expect them in an hour," she let him know before turning her attention to the recruits. With upturned lips she scanned the pair with appreciation. They'd both shown considerable promise, which was exactly what Amanda was thirsting for. She needed success right now and if anyone could offer it, it was these two. Though Alicia was no Nikita, she was definitely something special.

Knowing there was little else he could do Birkhoff nodded. "Roger that."

Satisfied, Percy turned and started from the room, Amanda faithfully at his side. They both paused a step from the exit, looking over their shoulders as they cast a pointed look over the room. The hint was instantly picked up on, and the hum of everyone going back to work quickly filled the silence. "One hour," she warned, meeting his eyes, "and they better be on time."

It wasn't until the door closed behind the pair that life actually returned to the room and the stiffness seemed to lift from the air. Alicia watched as Birkhoff ran one hand through his shaggy hair, turning his seat back towards the screen in front of him. He muttered under his breath, something or another about how ungrateful everyone was, before the typing resumed once more. It was hard for her not to smile as she watched him hunched over his work. She desperately wanted to see him in action. It sounded like whatever it was he was working on had him stressed, and she closed the distanced to the refrigerator without thinking.

Birkhoff rubbed his temples, focusing on the scrolling print of the screen. _One hour,_ he thought sourly, mimicking Amanda's voice in his mind, _as if I were just finishing a hand of solitaire!_ With an angry click he switched screens, expanding the reaches of his search as his fingers flew over the keys. _Nikita leaves and the place is like a live grenade. If I left Division would be in a scramble!_ He grinned thinking about it, knowing he could never actually leave. After all; he quite liked being alive.

Reaching out absentmindedly his hand swept at empty air before he realized that he'd never solved the problem of his need for caffeine. "Looking for this?" Alicia smiled shyly down into his surprised expression as he looked up at her. For a second he looked confused, and she popped open the tab on the energy drink as if to explain herself.

He happily accepted the cool drink, slamming down a few gulps of the sweet acidic beverage before shooting her a grin. "About time," he tried to tease her, forgetting momentarily his place in things, "service around here sucks."

"I don't think getting drinks was in my job description," she laughed, surprised at his lighthearted manner. He'd always been quirky, but usually her teacher was much more guarded than this. In fact he seemed slightly broody most days.

It took him a second to realize he'd never heard her laugh before, and he turned his eyes quickly towards the screen. _She's not Niki,_ he had to remind himself. Working with anyone other than her had proven tough. The way she'd called him 'Nerd' and teased him so openly had made him feel more accepted than he'd ever felt at Division. Everyone looked up to him as the brains of the place, but they'd never considered him a part of their group. After all, he was and always would be a computer nerd. Those that aimed for the IT department were usually too square to even be worth his time. They didn't understand his humor one bit.

"I haven't given you your job description yet," he pointed out, keeping his eyes trained on the screen.

"That's true," she couldn't help but step up to his side, peering over his shoulder at the screen before him, "for all I know I'm supposed to be waitress."

Birkhoff could feel her standing close beside him, _too_ close. Any closer and her arm would be pressing up against his. He glanced over at her as she stooped towards the screen, the white of her tanktop clinging to her curves. "I wouldn't count on it," he shook his head.

Samson grinned, stepping up behind Alicia as he crossed his arms over his broad chest. "It's no kill order, but it's a step towards graduation." His eyes scanned over Alicia quickly; glad that she was his partner on whatever task they were needed for. Unlike some of the other female recruits she definitely had the seduction techniques down. If how well she performed in class said anything, then he had a hunch her feminine wiles were going to play a big part in this mission. "Why do you think they picked us?" Samson asked her, trying to gain her attention.

It worked, and she peeled her eyes away from the screen. "You mean instead of using active Agents?" she asked, quirking a brow. It was a question she'd been wanting to ask too. "I don't know. Percy said it was some sort of test run. Probably to judge our progress."

"But on an active mission?" Samson pushed, noting that Birkhoff was being uncharacteristically quiet. "Don't they usually put us through simulations first?"

"Why, are you nervous?" Alicia teased, a smile playing on her lips as she nudged him. It wasn't like Samson to second guess an order. Especially not when it had come from the mouth of Amanda herself; she'd handpicked the two for whatever Operation they'd be going on tonight.

"More like anxious," he shot back with a grin of his own, "I just want to get out on the field as soon as possible."

As much as Birkhoff understood their enthusiasm he didn't like the way the young man was gazing at Alicia. He knew firsthand how disarming that soft smile of hers was, and it didn't come as a surprise that it wasn't reserved just for him. In fact, it was those perfect lips of hers that had probably landed her this mission. "Slow your roll there cowboy," he scoffed, "you don't even know what you'll be doing yet."

"What _will_ we be doing Birkhoff?" she couldn't help but question, looking down at the man.

His gaze flickered up to meet hers for a moment. Leave it to Amanda to give him the task of briefing her on the mission in question. If he didn't know better he was being punished for Nikita yet again. Had the woman possibly guessed his slight attachment to this particular recruit? "How about you let me finish _my_ job," he pushed out between clenched teeth, "and then I can brief you for yours?"

Taking the hint Alicia drew away quickly, guiltily giving up her curiosity on the text flying across his screen. From his frantic typing she'd known that he was in the middle of something but she hadn't been able to keep from asking. _Don't get in his way,_ she scolded herself, pushing her auburn locks over her shoulder. Samson flashed her a slightly amused look at having been scolded, and she returned it with a rolling of her eyes. "Think it's just us two?" she asked, lowering her voice to a whisper as he followed her to one of the empty computers.

"Not a chance," he dismissed the possibility, pulling out the rolling chair for her with a seedy smile. Relationships were strictly forbidden when it came to Division, but Amanda had made it clear that there was nothing wrong with an occasional romp. As long as there weren't any feelings attached to cause weakness then it was only natural to find a physical release. "They wouldn't risk sending us in unless we have a team to back us up."

She took the seat, looking up into his hazel eyes as he propped himself against the desk near her. "Well we know it's no kill job," she shrugged, spinning the rolling chair slowly. "If we're not on the team then it might have to do with infiltration."

"Or a distraction," he offered up.

"Could just be gathering Intel," Alicia nodded, spinning again slowly, aware of his eyes on her.

"Maybe we're just part of a cover story," Samson shrugged. "It wouldn't be the first time they sent a recruit in as some Agent's date."

Birkhoff couldn't hear what the pair was saying, but his eyes flickered to them with irritation. Here he was decoding a call in a hundredth of the time it would take any other dimwit at this place, and no one so much as gave him a pat on the back. Still, it didn't mean _he _couldn't be proud of himself. "Take that!" he exclaimed, leaning towards the screen with eyes wide as his fingers flew. "Check and mate," he typed in the final command, relaxing back in his chair with a triumphant smile. On the screen he watched the wavelengths of the call being translated into a handful of languages as it was saved into the databank.

He reached for the energy drink and nearly jumped in surprise when it was placed in his hand. Alicia was already at his side, peering at the screen with interest. "Ten minutes," she mused, "more like six!"

"Yeah, well they didn't count on me," he bragged, lacing his fingers and cracking them great satisfaction.

"Isn't that a twelve stage encryption?" she questioned, her attention drawn to one of the three screens of his command center. Before he could answer she was leaning over him, peering though her curved lashes at the information on the screen. "How'd you narrow the field so quickly?"

Proud that his student was aware of what he'd just been working on, he downed a few gulps of his energy drink as he took in her interested expression. "There's nothing Shadownet can't do in the right hands."

Her eyes scanned over the information, stunned by the complexity of it all. _And I thought I was good for completing assignments with ease,_ she couldn't help but think ever more highly of the IT guy. _This is way out of my league,_ a little panic took hold on her as she straightened back up, nearly blushing as she realized she'd been in such close proximity to his face. "Is it always this complex?" Alicia wondered out loud, second guessing her pride in being given an active assignment so early on.

"Only the things that cross my path, sweetheart," he couldn't help but flash her a prideful grin. It was about time someone paid attention to the work he was doing. It was easily dismissed when he was the only one who laid eyes on the actual complexity of what his work really entailed. "The real work is always left up to me."

"What about _our_ work?" Samson questioned, trying to refrain from glaring. He'd been mid sentence when Alicia had clambered to her feet to rush to the nerd's side.

Birkhoff shot him an annoyed glare before turning back to his screen and pulling up the Operation in question. "Operation Paulter," he read off, relaxing back in his seat as he scanned the face of the recruit at his side. He watched as her eyes scanned over the information, taking in every detail she could get before he could get started on the details. If she had any thoughts about what the mission entailed her expression gave away nothing. "You'll be going undercover to plant a bug on a suspected connection to one of our targets."

"A simple in and out?" Samson asked, disappointment lacing his voice. He'd been hoping for action.

"Not exactly," Birkhoff sighed, manipulating the mouse to pull up a picture of their target for tonight. "He's not your regular scumbag who can be won over with a pretty face and a bug slipped in the pocket. This guy has some pretty particular tastes." With a quick glance to Alicia he tried to ready himself for being the bearer of some rather distasteful information. _This should be Michael's job, not mine._

Alicia held her breath as she listened to the Intel they had on the target. "He's only interested in obtaining things that are already owned. You'll be going in as a couple to get his attention," Birkhoff's navy eyes were trained on the information he was bringing up. "Once he has Alicia in his sights he'll approach you, placing an offer to take her off your hands for an hour or two. You'll have to play your part and haggle out a price that makes him feel like he's accomplished something," his gaze flickered to Samson with a hint of distaste. The man made no attempt to hide the fact he didn't like the details.

"Once you're in you'll have a small window to place the bug," he informed Alicia , not able to look at her face. The missions where girls were used as bait usually didn't bother him so much. He couldn't help but let this one get to him, seeing so much more potential in Alicia back in the Command Center than being drooled over by a well known psychopath. "He'll suspect something if you're too cooperative, so you'll need to let him win you over. Mr. Paulter here may be a sleaze who buys taken women for sport, but he still takes pride in the hunt."

Samson nodded, chancing his own look at Alicia. One quick scan of her figure and he knew that he'd been right when he'd assumed Amanda had chosen her for her appearance as well as acting skills. "So I get the role of possessive auctioneer," a toothy grin took over his face, his hazel eyes sparkling in humor, "this is going to be a breeze."

* * *

Birkhoff watched from Operations as Samson and Alicia made their way through the nightclub. It'd been childsplay to hack into the club's many security cameras and he had an all seeing eye on the layout of the busy joint. The lemon yellow dress that Amanda had dressed Alicia up in helped to make her stick out among all the other dolled up girls that littered every inch of the crowd. Samson and his obvious enjoyment in the assignment was easy to pick up on as well as Birkhoff zoomed in on the young man's face. He was playing his part well, maybe a little _too _well all things considered. His eyes were trained on the girl on his arm and hadn't once scanned the perimeter of the club to find their target for the night.

"Eyes?" Alicia whispered into her headset, covering the question with a well placed laugh.

Glad that at least she seemed to be focused on the task at hand Birkhoff scanned through the security feeds. "None from up here," he informed her before switching frequencies. "Anyone have eyes on the target?"

"His vehicle hasn't arrived yet."

He sighed, shaking his head as he finished off the rest of his energy drink. The night was still young and already Seymour was wishing he was back at his house. "Keep your eyes open and inform me the moment we have a visual," he sighed into the headset. "We need to see him before he sees us."

Down in the club Alicia was feeling just as eager to be done with the entire thing. Being bait wasn't exactly what she'd hoped her second chance at life would entail. _If I wanted to be pawned off like some cheap whore I would have gone back to my old life,_ she thought sourly, expertly masking her frustrated thoughts with a charming smile. "Where is he?" she whispered into Samson's ear, resting her hand on his knee as though flirting.

"The night is still young," he answered with a wry smile. Being away from the muted colors of Division was doing wonders for his mood. With a clearly appreciative glitter in his eyes he scanned the length of her tight yellow dress before meeting her eyes. "A drink for my beautiful better half," he crooned, flashing a prideful smile up at the bartender who had approached.

The man's eyes flashed to the stunning young woman who sat perched on one of the retro barstools. "A dry martini," she ordered, tucking a rogue strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Coming right up," the man nodded, ducking behind the counter to prepare the drink in question.

"Take the drink and move to the eastern corner," Birkhoff's voice filled her ear. She couldn't help but smile at the comfort that his voice brought her. Knowing that he was the all seeing eyes in the sky gave her a sense of security. If anything happened then he'd be the first to know, and that could mean the difference between a successful mission or not. Failing on a trial run was not something that she could risk doing. "We've got him arriving through the back doors."

Picking up the drink that had been placed before her she took a tentative sip, glancing over the brim of the brightly colored glass towards the entrance in question. Samson had already slipped the payment to the bartender by the time she lowered the glass, and his arm was quickly around her waist. "It's go time," he breathed into her ear, burying his mouth against the curve of her neck to give her what appeared to be a little lovebite.

With a dazzling smile they made their way to the corner that held the couches. They'd barely sat down before Birkhoff's voice was once more in her ear. "He's already spotted you," he marveled, watching as the man in question stared steadily in their direction. "We can't let him make a move too soon."

Picking up on the hint Alicia laughed at some imaginary joke, her soft voice dancing in the air. She sipped on her drink, placing a hand on her chest the moment she drew it away from her lips. "I need the powder room," she giggled, batting her lashes at the two men who sat on the couch across from her.

Samson deftly plucked the glass from her hand, sliding the hand he'd had resting on her thigh down towards her knee to give it a squeeze. "Let me escort you-"

"Don't be silly," she cut him off with a hand on his chest, leaning forward to place a peck on his lips. The moment she drew back she gave a placating smile as she ran her fingers over his short cut brown hair. "I'm perfectly capable of finding it on my own. I haven't had _that_ much to drink."

The men chuckled as she got up, putting on an air of determined independence as she smoothed out the short cotton dress. "Careful," Birkhoff warned as he zoomed the camera in on her position, "you've got an audience and our man likes to obtain the unobtainable."

In a smooth move Samson snatched Alicia's hand in his free one. He brought it to his lips, kissing the soft skin. "You'll find your way back as well?"

"Of course," she dismissed him, leaning forward to place another soft peck on his lips.

Samson had other plans, and in a flash his hand went from holding hers to tangle instead in her auburn curls, holding her head still as he kissed her deeply. Birkhoff choked on his energy drink, eyes narrowing as he watched the scene unfold. Changing over to Alicia's private channel he opened his mouth to say something before stopping. _Why does it matter?_ He wondered, shaking the snide comment that he'd been about to say from thought. Instead he cleared his throat to get her attention, "Make your way to the bathrooms," he instructed.

She peeled herself away from her fellow recruit, striding towards the back of the club. "Does he still have eyes on me?" she asked, scanning the crowd secretively as she made her way to the restrooms.

"Hasn't blinked once," Birkhoff acknowledged, "you better stick close to the wall to avoid him."

Alicia obeyed, trusting that he knew what was best. The timing for this op was specific, and getting too close to the target before the time was right could prove disastrous. "Am I clear?" she asked, eyes flickering over the crowd before stepping into the crowded hall.

"Crystal," he smiled, watching over her as she slipped into the bathroom. With a few strokes on the keyboard he brought up her image, muting communications to bark out commands. "Keep an eye on Paulter and Samson, I want every breath monitored," he spun in his chair, running his hands through his hair. He didn't like this; he didn't like this one bit. "And someone get me another drink."

After being handed another can he turned back to his screen, flashing a glance over his shoulder to deem the coast was clear before pulling up the close up of Alicia on his screen. He switched back onto her private channel. "You're doing fine," he assured her, taking note of the way her eyes closed as she leaned her head against the bathroom stall.

"Hard not to when all I have to do is bare some skin," she muttered, unable to stop the words from slipping out. The second she did her eyes shot open, a worried look flashing over her face. "I mean-"

"Relax," he smiled as he zoomed the camera in closer, "it's a private channel."

She nodded in relief, evidently unaware that he had eyes on her even though she was in the restroom. The swag club had them installed literally _everywhere_, and while Birkhoff had originally grimaced in disgust when he'd found the circuit that was linked up to the bathrooms, he was thankful for them now. "I feel like a poorly wrapped present," she admitted, letting out a little breath. The tension in her shoulders relaxed the slightest bit. Having Birkhoff on the other end of the line was oddly comforting. It reminded her of being back in class, his all knowing voice giving such sure directions she knew that he wouldn't steer her wrong.

"If only it was my birthday."

The only thing that kept him from biting his tongue was the smile that played across her lips. "I'd hope you have better taste," Alicia breathed, keeping her voice quiet as she whispered into her headset.

"Lucky for you I like lemon drops," Birkhoff teased openly, relaxing back in his seat to drink another big gulp of the caffeine he needed to make it through the night.

She groaned, running a hand through her hair as she tried to keep from laughing. Last thing she needed right now was to have the women chattering at the sinks to accuse her of being crazy or worse; offering her some of the drugs they were taking. "Are there any sweets you _don't_ like?"

"You know about my sweet tooth?"

Alicia grinned, smoothing out her dress as she listened to the women leaving the restroom. _I can't hide in here forever,_ she reminded herself before adjusting her hair around her shoulders. It was hard not to fiddle with the tiny earpiece as she spoke. "We're spies," she reminded him, "everyone knows about your obsession with sugar."

Before he could make a comment, one of the techies brought him back to planet earth. "Samson just turned down his second girl and Paulter is in position," the woman informed Birkhoff. "We have a visual at table three."

"Get everyone in place," he informed the room with a dismissive wave of his hand. Turning his eyes back to the empty bathroom stall he adjusted the camera to find her in front of the mirror, carefully applying a new layer of lipstick. "All right doll, its play time."

One more look in the mirror and she worked her way back into the busy club. Chatter filed in over her headset as Birkhoff returned her to the main channel. As much as he enjoyed having her all to himself he wasn't about to send her in blind. "Eyes on our guy," one of the Agents informed everyone, "he's going for the bait."

"I almost thought you weren't coming back," Samson teased, tucking Alicia into his side as she rejoined him on the couch.

Giving him a smile, and trying to ignore the twisting in her gut, she accepted the drink he handed back to her. "I always come back," she brushed him off, taking a timid sip of her alcoholic beverage. It was all a part of her cover, but she didn't like the way it burnt a path down her throat.

"Approaching on your ten," a voice warned in Samson's ear and he tightened his hold on Alicia. All his role consisted of was playing possessive and he was going to do it so well that no one would doubt his potential. Not that it was difficult to do to begin with. The way she fit against his body, her scantily clad body radiating heat into him, he was thankful once more for his partner choice. _This is a piece of cake,_ he smiled, satisfied as he watched Alicia down some more of her drink.

Just as planned the man approached, flanked by his two body guards. They swiftly commandeered the couch across from the two attractive young recruits, starting up a conversation without any delay. It didn't take long for Mr. Paulter, or Chase as he'd insisted they call him, to order another dry martini for Alicia to sip on. He engaged them in conversation, almost salivating at how much attention Samson paid his 'fiance.'

Birkhoff watched with narrow eyes as the events unfolded perfectly. Negotiations were underway and everything was going off without a problem. It wasn't until he'd once more filled his screen with Alicia's lithe figure that he noticed the crushed can in his grip. _She's just doing her job,_ he reminded himself as he watched her whisked away into one of the private rooms. Yet the disgruntled look on her face seemed to hold a ring of truth behind it.

He flashed another look around Command Center, pleased to find everyone was busy with their own tasks. A few keystrokes and he had a hotline direct to Alicia open once more. "You know," he gave a weak smile, "I'm not as big of a fan of lemon drops as I thought I'd be."

Though she couldn't answer, the little twitch in her lips was all he needed to know that she'd heard him. "They're actually kind of overrated," he continued, adjusting the camera closer in on her face. Having the bastard out of the picture helped his concentration as he examined her face. He'd never noticed how startlingly green her eyes were before. Amanda had done an amazing job of bringing them out, the black mascara commanding attention to her eyes without being overpowering. Only he was more interested in the determined sheen they held than the makeup that consisted of her mask. That was all it was after all; a mask.

"They sound good, but I'm more of a twizzler's man myself."

_Is that a smile?_ He watched as she worked, slowly letting the man talk her out of her shell. As convincing as she was, he couldn't stop his voice from helping on his end as well. "The pull and peels are the best," he leaned towards the screen, lowering his voice even though she was the only one could hear him, "I can never resist pulling them apart before eating one strand at a time."

Her eyes scanned the room the second Chase Paulter had his back turned, quickly finding the camera in the corner. Her eyes stared straight into the camera as she flashed a small smile for Birkhoff. If it hadn't been for the techie informing him, "Operative is in position," he probably would have continued on his impromptu candy discussion. He wasn't even sure what had compelled him to start it in the first place.

Keeping her line empty of the chatter that would only distract her, he eased the camera back to take in the big picture. It was one thing to calm her down, but it was another to get in the way of the mission. Clearing his throat he relaxed back in his seat, raking his hands through his tousled hair. "Okay, everything is in place. You know what to do," he informed her, feeling a small sense of guilt. Just because her smiles made him feel a twinge of pleasure didn't mean he could let it get to his head.

Watching her slip the pill into the man's drink, shyly offering it to him as she allowed herself to be pulled onto his lap, Birkhoff let out a slow breath. _She's a recruit,_ he had to remind himself, _and she's not Niki. _


	2. The Basics

Staring at the screen, she tried not to let her attention falter. In the back of the class Birkhoff sat, a twizzler hanging from his mouth. He chewed on it absentmindedly, focused on whatever was on his screen. "Come on, I can do this in my sleep," he called out, not even bothering a look to the class. "Five more minutes before your entire team is dead."

"This is so stupid," Samson muttered under his breath, scooting his seat closer to Alicia's to effectively gain her attention. His hazel eyes glowed into hers, obviously displeased.

Her brows drew together as she gave him a pointed look, raising a finger to her lips. "Shhh," she managed to get out in a light breath. If there was one thing Birkhoff hated it was people who didn't pay attention during class. Especially when he was giving a timed assignment.

Samson didn't seem to feel the same level of worry, for he only scooted closer. Peering up at her with hooded eyes he gave her a sour look. "Why do we need to do this?" he asked, his voice a light whisper.

"Just do it," she snipped at him, wishing he'd just shut up.

That wasn't the answer he was looking for, but he took the hint, reaching over and pressing a random key on her keyboard before scooting away. "It's not like I'll be stuck behind a computer," he hissed.

Fingers dancing over the keys she squinted at the screen, trying to make sense of the windows that were popping up. Whatever Samson had hit had started a chain reaction and she had no idea how to contain it. "Well the person who is," she huffed out, blowing a strand of hair from her eyes as she did so, "could very well save your life."

"Let's hope that's not you then," he grinned wryly, eyes flickering over her screen.

She opened her mouth to say that it was all his fault, but Birkhoff dashed those plans. "Less talking more typing," he called out, eyes locking onto Alicia's in a heartbeat. She stared back at him like a deer caught in the headlights, well aware of her screen flashing behind her.

It didn't take a genius to see that she was failing at the assignment, and he couldn't stop the disappointed look from crossing over his face. There was no doubt in his mind that the reason behind it had to do with her seating choice. Of all people she'd just had to be share a work station with Samson. If he didn't know better, and he hoped he was wrong, then he might think there was something going on there. The two recruits seemed to be paired together by almost every member of the staff. Even Michael was on board with the pairing, which rubbed Seymour the wrong way. The young man was clearly a distraction for her.

The look alone made Alicia sink into her seat, snapping her eyes back to her screen. With an air of determination she set about rectifying the problem Samson had caused. It wasn't easy, but just as the timer on her screen warned her she only had a minute left, she got the dialogue box she'd been waiting for. _Not my fastest time,_ she brooded, relaxing back into her seat, _but it's better than a fail._

"Congratulations, we now have five teams dead," Birkhoff groaned, lifting himself from his comfortable computer chair. He strode forward, towards the front of the class, eyes dancing over the screens of his students. "How many Agents is that?" he asked, stopping before one of the girls.

Staring bleakly at the skull and crossbones spinning on her screen she avoided looking up at the teacher. "Thirty five," she grumbled.

"If you're only thinking about the people on the field," he snapped, spinning on his heels to eye down the other students that had failed. For a second his navy eyes took in Alicia and the serious expression she wore. "Though we're called Division we _stick together,_" he said, peeling his eyes away from the recruit's face to find someone else to focus on. "If you're in Command and your team goes down because you can't do something as _simple_ as counter hack a bug, then you can bet your training sweats you won't be an active Agent for long."

With a smug look Samson raised his hand in the air, locking eyes with the IT instructor. Though Birkhoff didn't call on him he decided to speak his mind the moment he had his attention. "So if we're not in Command why do we need to know this?" he openly questioned. He leaned back in his seat, propping his hands up behind his head with a cocky attitude. "After all, seven out of eight of us will be in the field, won't we?"

"You don't know what you'll run across in the field," Birkhoff narrowed his eyes, not wanting to get into a power play with some stupid recruit. A few more weeks and he'd have the young man out of his hair. Either he'd be an active Agent by then and under Michael's watchful eye, or he'd be cancelled and not worth a second thought. "The entire point is to be prepared for _anything._"

Quickly getting control of the class he finished his lesson, going over what the ones who failed had done wrong. With a few more of his usual complaints about how the recruits were handling things, he dismissed the class for the day. He'd had enough and frankly he was dead tired. The image of Alicia being stripped of her yellow dress before the sedatives kicked in had stuck in his mind. _Prepared for anything,_ he reminded himself, one hand going up to massage his temple. Only there had been no way to prepare for _that_.

According to every scrap of data they had, the drug should have knocked the man out the moment it mixed with alcohol. One kiss from Alicia and the dry martini that lingered on her tongue _should_ have sent him tumbling to the floor. Instead, it had the opposite effect and the psychopath had started to get handsy. No amount of his usual sarcasm could have possibly fixed the situation, and Birkhoff could do nothing but sit and watch in silence as Alicia had played along. She hadn't shown even a flicker of surprise, and instead had expertly led the man in a well choreographed game of cat and mouse towards the bed in the center of the room. Ignoring the offer for the team to move in and neutralize him with force, Alicia had acted on her own.

Taking a risk she allowed herself to be stripped of the lemon yellow dress. Amanda had been wise in concealing the bug in the heel of her shoe, so losing the dress hadn't jeopardized the mission. For that reason Birkhoff had been helpless to do anything other than watch the young recruit on his screen as she worked the target like magic. Masking the alcohol as an aphrodisiac she'd played the nervous role she'd been given and downed another dry martini, holding some in her mouth to pass on to the man in a heated kiss. It'd finally done the trick, the man collapsing on the bed before he had the chance to rid her of the lacy lingerie.

Still, the image had been burnt into Birkhoff's mind. It wasn't like he'd never seen a female before. But this had been different. He'd been the eyes in the sky, taking in every moment through a lens helpless to do anything else other than observe. Usually the bedroom missions didn't have the camera aspect, but being the swag club it was he'd had a front row seat for the show.

He found his eyes drawn to the young woman, who hadn't yet risen from her seat. From the way her head was bent towards her comrade it was clear whatever they were talking about was bordering on a disagreement. "Alicia," he interrupted before he could stop himself, his hand coming to rest on the desk in front of her. His legs had carried him over all on his own, and when she sent a startled look up at him he felt a similar level of surprise in how quickly he'd wound up at her side. "Stay back, I want to discuss the issue you had," he requested of her, the excuse forming as it left his mouth.

Before she could nod in understanding he'd already pulled himself away from her, crossing back to his desk. She watched his back, taking in the blue and black hoodie he donned today. It was such a refreshing change from the recruits clothes and fancy suits that the Agents wore. Birkhoff was the one member of Division who seemed to dress like a normal person, and she wondered if it was a perk of being the head of the IT department. Always being behind a computer screen, he didn't have to worry about his appearance as much as the other active Agents did. After all, the only people who saw Birkhoff were members of Division.

"Someone's in trouble," Samson's low voice drew her attention from the man.

She shot him an annoyed look, quickly remembering she'd been in the middle of scolding him. "It's _your_ fault," she pointed out, getting stiffly to her feet, "I had everything under control until _you_ messed with my simulation."

"You still finished it," he dismissed her accusations with a wry grin.

"Only because I managed to contain the problem before it got out of hand," she groaned, remembering the panic as time had ticked away.

"Then why stay after to discuss your issue?" he questioned, getting to his feet as well.

Alicia sighed. "Birkhoff said-"

"Don't tell me you're intimidated by that geek?" Samson asked, leaning in close, his voice barely above a whisper.

She followed his secretive glance in the direction of the man in question. Luckily he seemed to be absorbed in whatever was on his computer screen as he often was, a twizzler once more hanging out of his mouth. "That _geek,_" she intoned angrily, "is the reason each and every one of us is here!"

He crossed his arms over his broad chest like he often did, giving her an amused look. When she opened her mouth to scold him for his almighty attitude and remind him that he was just a _recruit_ while Seymour Birkhoff was the resident prodigy _and_ an active Agent, Samson's laugh stopped her short. "If he doesn't give you detention then I'll see you at dinner," he openly teased her striding from the room.

Alicia glared after her back, wishing that he'd learn what the word respect was. She couldn't be the only one who realized Birkhoff had the hardest job out of everyone at Division. He was behind _everything_ that made this place run. If it wasn't for him there probably wouldn't even be a Division. There was a reason Percy had the quirky genius running his IT department since his teen years. It wasn't because he was nice to look at, though admittedly that was a bonus for her, and it had more to it than just being good with technology. The man was like a damn computer whisperer for crying out loud. She'd never seen someone able to manipulate data like he could.

"You needed to see me?" she asked, striding up to his desk.

Birkhoff looked up, quirking a brow as he took her in. He'd wanted to have a word with her, but for the life of him he couldn't remember what he'd planned on saying. That had never been an issue for him before. Normally he just said whatever came to mind. "What happened in class today?" he asked, swallowing the rest of the candy he'd been gnawing on.

She couldn't very well pin the blame on Samson, and so she hesitated as she tried to come up with an answer. Lying to him seemed like a bad idea, and yet the truth resembled an excuse more than anything. "One wrong button and I lost control," she replied carefully, knowing that he was well aware how her problem had occurred. If it had to do with a computer than he knew the answer after all.

"You handled it on your own."

The way he said it almost seemed like an accusation. "Asking for help would have only wasted more time," she explained with a small shrug, trying to avoid his navy eyes.

His eyes flickered over her, taking in the way her hands had found their way into the pockets of the sweatshirt she wore. "Or it could have saved it," he pointed out, unable to hide his irritation. "On the field you can't rely only on yourself."

Those green eyes of hers were trained on the keyboard his fingers rested on, as if not able to meet his eyes. "Sometimes you have to," she muttered, feeling like a child being scolded. When he drew his hands from the keys she couldn't stop her eyes from rising to meet his gaze. The irritated glitter there caused a hint of panic to grip her stomach. "I had it under control."

"Did you?" he pushed, narrowing his eyes on hers. "From where I was it looked like you almost didn't make it."

"But I did," she pointed out, not understanding why he seemed to be annoyed with her. _I passed the simulation,_ she thought dryly, _what more does he want?_

When he looked into her eyes all he could see was that yellow dress being pulled from her body, paired with her silence. All she had to do was nod and he would have sent in the other Operatives to take out Paulter with force. But _no_, she just had to do it on her own. "You don't even know what caused the issue," he pointed out, shaking his head to clear the image from his mind. It didn't work.

Feeling like she needed to defend herself she couldn't help but shoot a little glare at her instructor. "It didn't matter what caused it," she dismissed his truthful accusation, "all that mattered was how to fix it."

"How can you find a solution when you haven't identified the problem?" Birkhoff asked, his voice raising a notch. He'd been up all night and it had been her fault. Now the cocktail of energy drinks that he'd had to inhale in order to keep from slipping into a coma during the boring daily routine of teaching had him on edge.

"I didn't have _time_," she pointed out icily.

"You put your team at risk!"

Alicia blinked at his tone of voice, taking a little step back as she tried to figure out just _what_ was setting the man off. He'd always been somewhat broody, but never before had he turned his irritation on her. She'd always been in his good graces, or at least she'd thought she'd been. During the Operation last night she'd thought he'd seemed better than usual, and the sudden change in attitude today just didn't make sense. _What changed between last night and now?_ She tried to isolate the problem, as Birkhoff was now demanding she do.

It didn't make sense. Only yesterday he'd been making her feel safe with his unusually playful attitude and now he was snapping at her over a simulation. _A simulation I passed,_ she fumed, eyes scanning over his angry expression. As he raked one of his trembling hands through his shaggy brown hair she made note that he was as physically agitated as he was emotionally. Her eyes flickered over the row of empty energy drink cans before catching on the discarded twizzler's wrapper. The sound of his voice expertly calming her down just the night before filled her ears and everything seemed to click all at once.

"We're not talking about the simulation anymore," she deduced out loud, "are we?"

The words caused Birkhoff to blink as he absorbed them. She was right; the stupid simulation had nothing to do with the irritation he was feeling towards her. "I guess not," he muttered, leaning back in his computer chair as he expelled a breath.

One look at Seymour's face and she knew that he was overtired and on edge. _Did I get him in trouble?_ She wondered wildly, as she noticed the bags beneath his eyes for the first time. For all of the glances of him she'd stolen since the start of the lesson she hadn't actually paid attention to the details. More than anything she'd been trying to picture what he'd looked like when he'd been helping her through the earpiece. There had been a smile in his voice, but for the life of her she hadn't been able to pair it with an expression in her mind. Birkhoff had never seemed as casual with her as he'd been on that Op, and now he was back to his usual brooding self. "I didn't mean to risk the mission," Alicia mumbled, guilt apparent in her voice as she once more avoided his eyes, "I just wanted to stick to the plan."

"You did fine," he said, once more raking a hand through his tousled hair. He hadn't meant to get so on edge. Yet he couldn't meet her eyes, the image of her in the lingerie too fresh in his mind. _Damn it,_ he mentally slapped himself on the forehead, _I'm overacting. _

"I almost missed the window," Alicia sighed, reminded of the panic that she'd felt the night before. She'd done everything that she'd been told to do, and yet the man hadn't passed out as planned. Sure, she had remained calm on the outside, but the beating of her heart had seemed so loud in her ears. It had taken diverting from the plan, wasting time as she had to coax the man into a position where she could pass him more alcohol, in order to bring him down. Hoping that the alcohol content just hadn't been strong enough had been taking a risk; Birkhoff was right. For all she knew he still wouldn't have lost consciousness and she would have had to call in back up with only a few moments to spare before his body guards checked in on them.

Birkhoff picked up on her guilt and let out a little breath. He didn't even know why he was upset at her to begin with. She was right; she had tried to stick with the plan. If anything she'd been the reason behind the mission being successful, despite the miscalculations in the plan itself. For all intents and purposes the alcohol laced kiss should have done the job. "The fault wasn't on your end," his voice was surprisingly soothing. When her green eyes met his in surprise, he relaxed into the seat.

"But-"

"What did Amanda say?" he stopped whatever she'd been about to say short, trying to salvage the conversation. It hadn't been his attention to belittle the recruit. After all, just like with the simulation, she'd managed to solve the problem all on her own. Still, he couldn't help but wish he could have lent a hand one way or another.

Debriefing had occurred without Birkhoff being present, and Alicia momentarily wondered where he'd been. She'd expected to see him there, a little smile on his face as he made another comment about the asinine yellow dress she'd been forced to wear. The skimpy, brightly colored get up had made her feel so out of character. But, just like she'd been praised for the success of the mission, Amanda had been equally pleased with the effect the dress had. "Nothing much. She confirmed the bug I planted was active, and that Paulter hadn't been suspicious of what had occurred. Overall the mission was a success."

He nodded, already knowing this. Still, it helped to lead the conversation out of dangerous waters. He didn't want to think about why he'd been so irate about having to use her body as bait for the target. It hadn't been the first time, nor would it be the last time, that something like that had happened. His reaction to it all only raised questions he didn't want to focus on, so he asked a different one, trying to remain casual. "What was your reward," he asked, flashing a halfhearted smile, "hopefully not that dress?"

Alicia couldn't help but give a soft laugh, surprised by his sudden change in mood. "Thankfully no," she shook her head, her auburn curls shifting around her shoulders.

"Oh it wasn't that bad," he teased, her laugh instantly lightening his mood.

"Speak for yourself," she scoffed, rolling her eyes, "you're not the one who had to wear it."

Birkhoff let out a surprised laugh of his own. "I don't think it would have had the same effect on me sweetheart," he practically snorted.

"Oh I think you'd make a good lemondrop," she teased, unable to stop the words from tumbling out, "after all you're as sour as you are sweet."

"Sweet?" he asked, cocking a brow.

The blush that threatened to come to her cheeks was easily fought off, but not before Birkhoff picked up on the embarrassment flickering in her emerald eyes. "Well you do inhale your bodyweight in sugar on a daily basis," she quickly covered her tracks with a playful comment. She wasn't entirely sure what had made her call him sweet in the first place.

"Jealous that I don't have to stick to your strict training diet?" he ribbed her with another one of his amused smiles.

Alicia shrugged, giving him a smile that lifted his dreary mood like some miracle drug. "Can you blame me? After last night all I wanted was a tub of ice cream," she admitted.

"Don't let Amanda hear you say that," he warned with a chuckle, "she wouldn't want you to risk your figure."

"Careful, you might give me ideas," her smile made it all the way to her eyes in the way that disarmed Birkhoff without warning. "If I start an ice cream smuggling ring it'll be you who's to blame."

Before he could come up with a response they were interrupted by a new presence. Thankfully it wasn't Amanda or Percy, but nonetheless the interruption caused Birkhoff to sober up from the happy buzz that had been in his veins just a second ago. His eyes met Michael's, quickly hiding the smile that had been on his lips just moments ago. Lucky for him Michael hadn't picked up on the light atmosphere between the two, his eyes swiftly seeking out Alicia and passing over the IT guy. "There you are," he breathed, relief evident on his face.

"You needed me?" she asked, her smile already hidden away behind a casually calm expression. For some reason unbeknownst to her she didn't want anyone to see how easily the resident genius managed to make her smile. She had a naturally inviting air about her, but the smiles she'd shared with her instructor had felt different than before.

Michael nodded, coming into the computer lab with a few strides of his lean legs. As always, he was dressed in an impeccably dashing suit. "Amanda would like to have a word with you," he informed her with a brisk nod. "She's waiting in her office for you."

Alicia hid her nervousness as well as always, giving a small nod of her own. "Thanks for the heads up," she acknowledged she heard him, pushing off of Birkhoff's desk. She hadn't even realized that she'd been leaning against it, her body having relaxed all on its own. There was something about the man that made her feel a level of comfort that she'd thought Division had stolen from her altogether.

Birkhoff's eyes lingered on the door she'd just disappeared out of. She'd flashed him a little smile over her shoulder before turning the corner, and he had the odd feeling that tonight he might be able to get some real sleep. "How's she doing?" Michael asked, drawing his attention back to the man who still lingered in the room. He made himself comfortable, perching on the desk where only moments ago Alicia had been leaning.

"She catches on fast," he admitted, looking up at the one friend he had in Division.

Michael nodded, a small smile on his face as his eyes flickered towards the door she'd just passed through. "A real natural, that's for sure," he agreed with a nod before looking back to Birkhoff. "Amanda's pegged her as a favorite," he informed the man. "I think she's going to push for her activation to be moved up."

"After last night I can see why."

"I heard she passed her trial with flying colors," Michael sighed.

Birkhoff lifted a brow, questioning with his eyes the tone he'd used. "You don't sound too happy about that," he observed.

"We both know what happened to her last favorite," he intoned.

"She's no Nikita," Birkhoff declared, picking up quickly on what he was implying. "You can't let what happened with her affect your life man," he shook his head, having to push his long hair back behind his ears the moment he'd finished. "You can miss her all you want, hell I do. But you have to remember; she was one in a million. You're not going to find another one like Nikki."

Michael gave him a dry look. "If I needed counseling Birkhoff, trust me; I wouldn't come to you."

"When dragon lady is done with Alicia maybe she can pencil you in," he shrugged, rolling his eyes.

"Saying things like that when you're on her hit list isn't the best move," Michael smirked, his lips twitching upwards in amusement. "For being a self proclaimed genius you're not very bright," he teased the man, getting to his feet to leave.

"It's not self-proclaimed," Birkhoff scoffed, "it's a fact of life."

* * *

Birkhoff leaned against the railing, lazily listening to Michael's voice drilling away at the recruits. Sometimes he wished he had the man's job. There was more than a few of the newbs he wished he could knock flat on their asses. Trying to teach the handful of new recruits about computers was far from an easy task. Especially when one factored in all the work he had to do just to dumb down the material to begin with.

He turned to leave, to stalk back into the Command Center and find something to occupy his time, when Alicia came into view. She strode into the room with a handful of fellow recruits, flanked by none other than Samson. _Ten bucks says he flocks to her,_ he bet an imaginary person in his mind, eyes narrowing in on the pair. Sure enough the young man held up his fists as though ready to spar, his lips moving as he said something or another to Alicia.

Unaware of Birkhoff's eyes on her, Alicia tried to hold in a grimace as she shook her head at Samson. "I'll never get better if I'm always up against you," she tried to shrug off his offer to spar. Ever since she'd come here she'd been paired with the guy in everything. It was starting to get on her nerves.

"Worried you'll lose?" he teased with a devilish smile, pairing it with a jab from one of his fists.

She easily ducked the jab, taking a step back to avoid another in case he didn't take the hint. "More like up for a challenge," she shot back, unable to contain her sly smile. Though she wasn't his biggest fan, she didn't hate him altogether.

"Yeah Samson," one of the other guys spoke up, a grin already on his face, "let me have a go at her."

"Bring it," she welcomed the recruit, taunting him forward with a pull of her finger.

The guy didn't need to be told twice, and quickly discarded the sweatshirt he'd been wearing. Stepping forward, the pair now matching in their black sweats and tight white tank tops, he towered over her with his clear height advantage. "Ready for a real lesson?"

Alicia grinned at the challenge, liking the feeling of the unknown. Though Michael trained them all, that didn't mean their styles were the same. Each recruit had their own strong points and favorite combinations. Unlike with Samson, she didn't have a clue what this particular guy had in his arsenal. She got in position, a serious expression falling over her face as she pulled her hair up into a ponytail.

From his position up above Birkhoff could see it all. He watched, almost bewitched by the young recruit that was easily his favorite. Though she wasn't exactly a computer genius like himself, she at least showed potential. She was one of the few that seemed to genuinely pay attention in class. Whenever he gave an assignment she focused in on the task, letting it be the center of her attention until it was done. At first that had been all he'd realized about the young woman, not looking too far into the fact she was beautiful. It wasn't unusual for recruits and agents to be attractive. In fact, in most cases, that was one of the criteria for being selected to begin with.

When Birkhoff's system had flagged her as a potential, he hadn't paid too much attention to the smiling face on his screen. _Attractive,_ he'd thought, using it as one of the items on his checklist before moving on. That had been the extent of his interest in her appearance. It wasn't until he'd seen that smile of hers in person that he'd paid closer attention to the big picture.

Now his eyes followed every movement of her body, loving the way she moved as she held her own against the man who was more than twice her size. Though she had an hour glass figure, she was still a relatively small girl. In fact, were she to be put beside Birkhoff, she'd be a perfect fit. Though he wasn't a wimpy computer nerd, he wasn't exactly up to par with the active field Agents in the muscle department. The same could be said for the female Agents in comparison to him. They were often selected for their model like quality, having tall thin figures, and he felt emasculated by the way they looked down at him.

Alicia was in amazing shape, as were all of the recruits and Agents that Division _owned_, but she'd maintained her naturally cute appearance. She was almost a head shorter than Birkhoff, with a slender figure that made her the perfect package. There was an air of ease that followed her, and one of her smiles could disarm even Roan. He'd almost spit his energy drink out in shock when he'd seen the Cleaner return one of her smiles. That was the effect she had on everyone, hell, even Amanda liked the girl. But behind that soft smile and those dazzling green eyes was a sense of strength and sureness that drew him in. There was more to the girl than pretty looks and a charming attitude.

She was a trained killer, as was evident by the way she sparred with her fellow recruit. Birkhoff had been watching their heated exchange of blows for more than a few minutes now, and a fascinated smile had found its way onto his face. It was almost tempting to cheer as she knocked the young man flat on his back, quickly jumping on top of him to pin the man down. He struggled for a moment, but she couldn't be thrown. Before Birkhoff could get too much enjoyment from what he considered a flawless victory Michael just had to step in and ruin it.

"You don't have to employ all of your strength on him," he scolded her with a shake of his head.

Alicia nodded, watching as the handsome man took the male recruit's spot on the mat. Though he wasn't in his usual suit, he was in the casual get up he'd wear when training the recruits, he looked as spectacular as ever. If it wasn't for the fact she felt like he was James Bond in the flesh she may have felt some spark of a connection with him. But she didn't, and so he only played the role that he was supposed to in her closely monitored life; that of an instructor and possible handler once she became an Agent.

Michael smiled at her, aware of the hesitation as she raised her hands and took a fighting stance. "What do you have that your opponent doesn't?" he questioned her, throwing a combination of moves her way.

She responded accordingly, following the well choreographed dance that she'd always compared fighting to. "A better trainer?" she asked with a hint of humor, returning with her own combination of practiced movements.

"And what did I teach you?" he asked, returning her smile with one of his own. His lips only quirked up the slightest bit, his five-o-clock shadow looking all the more charming on his chiseled jaw.

Not letting herself be distracted by the moves he was throwing at her, she went over everything he'd ever told her in her mind. _Watch your opponent, anticipate their movements, keep an eye on your surroundings…_ she filed through all the information that she could. None of them answered the question of what she had that everyone else in the room didn't. They'd all been taught by the same man after all. _Think,_ she coaxed, _what can I do that they can't?_ Narrowly ducking one of his kicks, she rolled out of the way, springing nimbly to her feet. The moment she was up again the answer hit her like a godsend. "To use my size to my advantage," she proclaimed, quickly rolling to avoid another blow.

She was on the right track, and Michael nodded in encouragement. "What else?"

The question wasn't needed though. In the time it had taken her to dodge the next attack she was already on the move. With grace and agility she was in the air, her small figure allowing her a level of nimbleness that other's didn't possess. In a heartbeat her legs were around his waist, latching on securely. "I'm fast," she breathed, dropping her torso back to avoid the hands that had started to move for her throat. Legs still tightly around his waist, she allowed her head to dip towards the ground, arching her back as she wrapped her arms behind his knees and pulled.

Birkhoff observed as Michael tumbled to the mat, falling onto his back even as Alicia was straightening back up. Her legs were still around his waist, giving her the dominate position as she smiled down at the man beneath her. Before Michael could get a word out edgewise she had her hands securely on either side of his head. The placement was clear, and from his perch up above Birkhoff could almost picture her triumphant voice as he watched her mouth form the word _crack._ Had it been a real fight, she would have already broken the man's neck.

Only it wasn't, and being the man that he was, Michael quickly turned the tables and was back on his feet before long. _That's my girl,_ Seymour thought on impulse, smiling a wolfish grin as he continued to watch from his perch. It was clear from the way that Michael was addressing Alicia that she'd preformed well, for he allowed her something that one didn't often get at Division; a break.

Pleased with her performance, Alicia dropped back away from the rest of the recruits to watch as they practiced. She stood at the outskirts of the mats, watching with interested eyes as they all continued on in their lesson. She loved the adrenaline that coursed through her veins after every sparring match. Unlike the acting and seduction lessons that Amanda supplied her, she felt these were much more practical. After all, she'd rather take down an opponent then have to bed him. While Michael had assured her that not all missions would involve bedrooms like the one she'd had to endure the week before, she had a feeling they'd come up often. The good looks she'd been born into had been nothing but a curse in her life.

"For someone who just kicked some serious ass," a voice yanked her from her thoughts, "you sure look like a sourpuss."

Looking over her shoulder she was surprised to find none other than Birkhoff had sidled up beside her. Though one of his hands was offering her a water bottle, his eyes were casually on the practice mats that the rest of the recruits occupied. "I was just thinking about the service around here," she responded in an easy voice, accepting the water gratefully.

He could feel her eyes on the side of his face, and slowly turned his head to meet her gaze. "It'll be better on the outside," he kept his voice low, waiting until she'd lifted the bottle to her lips to say it.

Taking a few large gulps of the refreshingly cool water, she had time to let his words sink in her mind before formulating a reply. From the sparkle in his navy eyes she had the strange feeling he was trying to tell her something. That or he was teasing her. "Whenever that happens," she muttered, her voice just as low as his.

"It may be sooner than you think," Birkhoff couldn't help but send her a secretive smile before turning to walk away.

As he knew she would, Alicia took the bait, following after him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Hmm?" he raised his brows, feigning ignorance.

Before he could start up the stairs she stepped into his path. "Do you know something?" she asked, surprised at her own straightforwardness.

"I know a lot of things," he smiled slyly, enjoying her curiosity. The way her brow furrowed only caused him to smile brighter. She looked cute when she was frustrated, just as he'd pictured she would.

"Birkhoff," she groaned, her eyes darting around as she realized the whine that had threatened to lace her tone. The amusement clear on his face made her purse her lips. He was clearly taking pleasure in knowing something she didn't. As much as it annoyed her, she couldn't stop the smile from coming to her lips at the sparkle in his eyes.

"Alicia," he mirrored her tone, making a move to step around her.

She let him, but met his eyes with purpose. "There's something you're not telling me," she whispered, keeping her voice low. There were a few pairs of eyes on them now, and she knew Samson's were included.

"That'll happen around here sweethea-"

"I'll find out one way or another," she cut him off with a determined smile of her own, "the walls have ears after all."

"I'm the ears and the eyes of this organization," he shot back before starting up the stairs.

This time she didn't get in his way. She watched him go, following his form as he made his way towards the Command Center. _He knows something,_ she concluded. There wasn't a shadow of doubt in her mind that the man had dangled the bait in front of her on purpose. _Whatever it is,_ she decided, _I'm going to find out._ Alicia turned, striding back to the practice mats, taking a few more swigs of the water as she went. It wasn't every day that Birkhoff approached her and there had to be a reason behind it.

She couldn't stop her eyes from flickering up to the large windows of the Command Center, the ones that allowed anyone in Operations to overlook the recruits as they practiced. The moment they did she found Birkhoff who, not so coincidentally, already had his eyes focused on her. An oddly immature impulse caused her to peek her tongue out between her lips at him, before turning her head away, her ponytail saying with purpose.

The moment she did she came face to face with Samson. "What did he want?" he asked, not bothering to hide the blatant dislike from his voice. Like many of the other recruits he didn't seem to like the IT guy very much. Maybe it had to do with the fact he was constantly reminding everyone how dim they were compared to him.

Thinking about it only made Alicia smile as she shrugged her shoulders and took another drink of the water before replying. "Oh you know," she casually responded, "the usual. He just wanted to point out an algorithm I used was longer than necessary."

Samson snatched the water from her hand the moment her eyes flickered back up towards the Command Center. If he didn't know better, she sounded almost fond of the nerd when she talked about him. "He likes to do that, doesn't he?" he asked, taking a drink of the bottle as well.

Though Birkhoff was no longer standing near the window he still scowled as he watched the young man swallow down the water. He hadn't been lying when he said he was the ears and eyes of Division. From his computer he could see all, and hear _almost_ all that went on. Though he couldn't hear what the pair was talking about it didn't stop him from grimacing. Seeing the pair together only upset him. He'd never second guessed his position in things before, but the moment Samson and Alicia started in on a heated hand to hand exercise he couldn't help but wish he had a more hands on job. The closest he got to the recruits was when he was hovering over their stations, barking out commands about the data on the screen and what to do.

The thought had never crossed his mind before. He knew it had nothing to do with wanting a new position, and everything to do with Alicia. Watching Michael and her during training had caused a tightening deep in his gut. The man was able to be free around her without raising suspicions. He'd often seen Michael with his hand on a recruit's shoulder, leading them to one place or another. Birkhoff didn't have such liberties. He could already picture Amanda's evil gaze if she ever caught such a thing occurring. No, Birkhoff drew the short straw in life when he'd been gifted with brains over brawn.

_This is the closest I'll ever get,_ he admitted to himself in defeat, eyes flickering around the Command Center. No one was paying attention to him, leaving him to handle whatever task he was working on in solitude, and for once he was glad for it. The resolution on his screen was flawless, and he took in every pixel that comprised Alicia's image.


	3. Risky Business

She exhaled a low breath, steeling herself to stick to the plan. It had seemed like such a good idea hours ago when she'd thought about it, but now that the time had come she felt butterflies dancing in her stomach. _I'm supposed to be unflappable,_ she goaded with shake of her head. Alicia didn't understand why she suddenly felt nervous. Maybe it had to do with the fact she was about to sneak about a building that created _assassins_ on a daily basis. If anyone caught her. . .

She couldn't think about it now. Her mind had been made, and she readied herself to slip out of her room. It wasn't very difficult to slip down the halls unnoticed. The place was relatively dead at night, and save for active Agents coming in for briefing or debriefing, there wasn't a reason for anyone to be in the halls. That happened to include her, and she momentarily wondered what her excuse would be if caught. Something as simple as _I needed to stretch my legs,_ or _I couldn't sleep_ would probably suffice. After all, she hadn't done anything to raise suspicion to point towards another answer.

Recruits weren't allowed out of their rooms after lights out, yet Division didn't find it necessary to lock them in. When she'd discovered it her first night it had been the one thing that had brought her to the reality of the situation she'd been thrown into. There was no reason to lock the recruits in. Division wasn't a prison, it was a second chance; one that included the threat of being cancelled. _Cancelled._ Alicia loved the sound of that word. Along with the title of those that did the actual duty; Cleaners.

The one Cleaner she'd met had fit the image she'd paired with the title perfectly. Roan, one of Percy's right hand men, had been introduced to her in a spur of the moment decision by Percy. At least she _thought_ it had been an impromptu meeting. Little did she know it had all been orchestrated by none other than Amanda. The woman had wanted to see what the girl would do when faced with one of the men who were responsible for removing problematic Agents.

Overall it hadn't been such a bad meeting. Though the man was reserved and seemed to lack any emotion, she'd seen past it instantly. There was a fierce loyalty to Percy evident in regards to the air about him. Alicia had always been good at reading people, and equally as good at handling them. She'd met his eyes with confidence while making sure not to exude an iota of cockiness. Instantly she could tell Roan was one who worked on a strictly respect based rating system. Emotions and unneeded attachments were something that he'd look down on. It wasn't until she'd turned to part that she'd flashed him one of her classic smiles, wondering just what affect it would have on him. The Cleaner had returned it with one of his own, albeit a much more toned down version.

_I wonder if he smiles after a kill,_ her mind wandered as she ducked around a corner, eyes darting up towards the Command Center. It was too dark to see anything besides the glow of the computers, and she decided it was best if she move on. Her plan would only work if things went as they were supposed to. Unlike with the Operation she'd had to improvise on, she didn't have any back up she could call on this time. It was only her and the empty halls of Division as she made her way to her target.

On the opposite side of the building Birkhoff was making his way back from the bathroom. Massaging his temples, he told himself _today's the day, today is the day I give up energy drinks for good._ He knew it would never happen. With all of the late nights he found himself pulling he was surprised he didn't have a caffeine IV drip to wheel around with him. It seemed like more often than not he wound up crashing on the couch in the computer room that was supposed to be his office. The Command Center usually had his attention until he managed to sneak his way to the otherwise deserted room, using it mainly for sleeping. Most of his real work was done straight from Operations.

It looked like another night for the couch, and he stifled a yawn as shuffled into the room. The moment he did the ping of his computer chased away any hope of sleep. The sound could only mean one thing; once more his attention was needed. Seymour approached the computer, lazily clicking about with his mouse on autopilot. He didn't even look at the screen as he went through the motions he was so used to, his eyes instead on the clock. _One in the morning,_ he observed, _it's official; I no longer have a life._

"All right," he muttered to his computer, sliding into his comfortable computer chair, "let's see what has you all riled up."

The moment his navy blue eyes took in the message he'd pulled up on his screen his brow furrowed in confusion. _What's someone doing in the lab at this hour?_ He wondered, groaning as he stretched his back out. A series of pops followed. Sitting in a chair all day made for more knots in his back than he could count. If he'd had a say in things he would have demanded a personal masseuse be on call 24/7. That was about as unlikely as getting a capable temp to take over while he caught up on some much needed sleep.

Pulling up the intercom linked in to the computer lab with a few strokes on the black keys with his capable fingers, he readied a smile on his face. Whoever was in the lab was in for a surprise. One of his favorite perks of being able to hack into any feed imaginable was startling people out of their wits. Only, here at Division, he didn't even need to hack to have a hotline direct to the room in question. After all; Birkhoff had access to everything Division had to offer when it came to technology. If there was a spark of electricity in the circuits then he had complete control.

Keeping the line muted to hold on to the element of surprise until he had a visual on the unsuspecting sod who had wandered into his territory at such a suspicious hour, he pulled up the video feed. Though the room was dark, he only needed to press a few more buttons to illuminate the screen in the green glow that night vision provided.

"Great beards of Zeus," a taken aback breath of air rushed from his lips, "it's Alicia."

He didn't even need to zoom in to confirm that fact. One look at the petite girl casually spinning in slow circles as she relaxed in one of the leather computer chairs was all he needed. He'd seen her enough times to recognize her in a heartbeat. Having complete control over the video feeds had proven useful in his new hobby of watching her. One of the biggest rules he stuck to when it came to the recruits was; _You can look, but you can't touch._

Now, staring at the girl on his screen, he didn't know if looking was going to be enough. All it would take was a few words over the intercom and he'd have her scrambling back to her room in shock. He'd be able to trace her retreat the entire way, only losing visual when she ducked into the safety of her room. Only he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"You know better than this," he spoke out loud, a habit he'd gained from spending most of his time with computers. Nonetheless, he kept his mike muted. Surely she wasn't so naive as to believe the cameras were turned off just because it was after hours. Granted, it wasn't like they were constantly monitored. It wasn't as though anyone was about to break into Division, and the halls that could be accessed on this floor were relatively open for a reason. The only areas actively monitored during the night on the recruit level were the rooms that were off limits; the computer lab being one of them.

An Agent sneaking into the lab at night wouldn't even receive a slap on the wrist, as unlikely as that occurrence was. Unlike with the recruits none of the active Agents would have a reason to use the computers without authorization. Besides, there were so many other ways to go about getting computer access without getting caught on camera. "Spy 101; avoid cameras," Birkhoff breathed, tilting his head as he observed the girl on his screen, "you know that as well as I do sweetheart."

Alicia had to know that she was risking a great deal by not only breaking curfew, but loitering in a restricted area after hours. The oddest part was that she hadn't even booted up one of the computers. All that she was doing was sitting in one of the chairs, one of her knees drawn up to her chest as the other softly nudged the floor, spinning her around in slow circles. Without realizing he'd done it, Birkhoff had a close up of her open on her screen. The girl's green eyes were hidden behind her lids for her eyes were closed, head tilted lazily back as her long auburn waves dangled over the back of the chair.

No; looking was not going to be enough this time. Seymour couldn't bring himself to startle her out of her relaxed state, nor could he very well let the incident go. The cameras had already picked up on her as had he, and there could be no pretending he hadn't seen her. That left only one option; to go down to the lab himself and rectify the issue. He'd personally escort her back to her room, making sure to pound it into her head just how thoughtless she'd been.

Face drawn towards the screen, he bent over the keyboard before him. His fingers flew, tapping out commands accompanied by a few clicks of the mouse. Without so much as a second thought he manipulated the feeds with skill and ease. "Shazam," he beamed at the screen before him before relaxing back into his seat, "the invisible man has nothing on me."

While Alicia was no longer on his screen, she was still in the computer lab. Slowly spinning herself on the chair, she felt an odd level of ease. The only place in Division she felt comfortable, other than on the sparring mats, was in the computer lab. She knew it didn't have anything to do with the usually lively computers that now held nothing but blank screens as they slept. To be truthful, the work that was done in this room was the most stressful of all. While she loved the thrill that would course through her veins after successfully completing a simulation, the actual task of completing it was nerve-wracking. It took so much concentration and focus that she felt like every press of the key was winding some coil in her tighter and tighter.

Active work didn't phase her however. If anything she was more at ease risking herself physically than in some cyber world. As she spun around on the chair she marveled in how relaxed she'd become the moment she had made it into the computer lab. Even the sound of the door opening didn't bring her from her peaceful state. If anything, it was the reason behind the small smile playing at her lips.

"Do you have a death wish?" Birkhoff's voice filled the room, following the clicking of the door closing behind him.

Slowly lifting her head, Alicia opened her eyes to take in the man who'd stopped a few steps in to the dark room. His eyes were trained on hers, narrowed in a clear display of curiosity mixed with frustration. It was a reaction she played around with in her mind, working over what she knew of the computer hacker. Assuming that the signs she'd been picking up on were real had been taking a risk. When it came to a place like Division it was difficult to know what was what. One look at him and all of her worries vanished. "Hello to you too," she responded, greeting him with a smile.

He stared at the recruit in disbelief for a moment. "I don't have time for this," Birkhoff scolded her, unable to take a step closer. He stood rooted in spot with his gaze steadily meeting hers. Even in the dark he knew there was a sparkle in those green eyes of hers.

"Time for what?" she questioned, her voice laced with the ignorance she was feigning.

"These shenanigans," he motioned to the empty room nervously. Coming down and dealing with the situation in person had seemed like the way to go, but now that he was actually faced with Alicia he was having second thoughts. She hadn't so much as gotten up at his arrival and he stared at her, unable to formulate how to handle the entire thing. "You should be in bed," he tried to keep a tone of authority, but it was hard to do when she was smiling up at him like that, "in fact _I_ should be in bed. Do you even know what time it is?"

"Late," she replied easily with a small shrug. Alicia couldn't drop the smile on her face. Birkhoff hadn't yelled at her so far and, from the way he ran his fingers through his hair to calm himself, she could tell he wasn't about to any time soon. _He didn't report me,_ she basked in the satisfaction of things going according to plan.

"_Late_ she says," he muttered to himself, rolling his eyes. He didn't know what he'd expected to happen when he showed up in the room, but it hadn't been this.

Hearing him talk to himself was oddly comforting for her. Despite the fact he was trying to play the authority figure it was quite clear that he had no intention of getting her in trouble. "So why aren't you?" she asked, filling the silence when he didn't say any more.

"What?"

"Why aren't you in bed," she gave another one of her little shrugs, the smile tugging at her lips, "if that's where you're supposed to be?"

Closing the gap with a few strides of his plaid pajama clad legs he peered down at her. No matter how dark the room was the young woman before him was easy to see. His eyes flickered over her, taking in her form before meeting her eyes. "I'd like to be in dreamland," he informed her, "but that's not possible with you breaking out of your cage."

"I didn't break out," Alicia pointed out, that little smile still on her lips, "the door was unlocked."

He groaned. This was not going as he'd hoped it would. In fact, he didn't even remember what he'd wanted to accomplish in the first place. One quick scan of their dark and deserted surroundings sobered him up quickly. She'd started to spin slowly in the seat again, and he watched for a moment, faltering on what he was supposed to say. He knew he had to get her back to her room, but he couldn't very well just drag her off without a word. "It's past your bedtime sweetheart," he stopped her mid spin, his hand latching on to her shoulder.

Staring up into his navy eyes, she realized for the first time how close he'd gotten. "But I'm not tired," Alicia's soft voice formed the words slowly. All she'd meant to do was get information out of him, but now that he was actually there she found herself genuinely surprised. The frustrated look on his face was alarmingly adorable.

Birkhoff's eyes narrowed in on hers with determination. "You don't get to make that choice," he intoned. When she just blinked up at him he realized his hand was still on the warm skin of her shoulder that the tank top left exposed, and he quickly withdrew it. "At least not yet," he continued, shaking his mind to clear the thoughts that had flooded in. That had been the first time he'd ever actually _touched_ her.

"But when I'm an Agent I can?"

"_If_ you become an Agent," he corrected her. The urge to point an accusing finger towards her won over, and so he did so. "Sneaking around after hours," he waved the finger in a scolding manner, "is a big no-no."

The talk of Agents reminded Alicia of what she'd set out to do in the first place. _Get him talking,_ she reminded herself, _and stop getting distracted._ "How big?" she asked, her eyes going wide in mock worry.

Not finding her blatant lack of worry amusing, Birkhoff sent her a pointed glare. He loomed over where she sat on the seat, one leg drawn up with her arms wrapped around the bent knee. "Big enough to ruin things," he warned her.

"What's there to ruin?" she shot back, surprised to find that the words came out frustrated. "I can't even decide if I'm tired or not, according to you."

"Not me,_ Division,_" he corrected her. "And your future for starters," Birkhoff pointed out the obvious, "you're risking a trip to the Cleaners, and I'm not talking about laundry here sweetheart."

"You're saying I could get cancelled just for being restless?" Alicia asked, not needing to fake the worry there. She'd known that the course of action she'd decided on was risky, but she hadn't known it was _that_ risky.

Pleased she seemed to be taking things seriously for a change he relaxed the slightest bit. "Moonlighting in the Computer Lab of all places isn't something you want to get caught doing," he informed her, "it could be perceived as suspicious." Though he said it he knew he was being a bit overdramatic. She hadn't even turned on the computer after all. If anything she would have been scolded and made to understand that it wouldn't happen again.

She peered up at Birkhoff through her long lashes. Before that moment she hadn't realized that he was clearly dressed for bed. The man donned a pair of navy blue plaid pajama bottoms paired with a teeshirt that was a little tighter than his usual apparel. With a silent appreciation she took him in before meeting his awaiting eyes. Though it was too dark to see the color to them, she could clearly picture the two navy blue orbs before her. Ever since that Operation last week she'd wound up with more than a handful of opportunities to examine the computer genius. What she saw she liked, but it was more than his looks that had her heart beating faster by the second. "I did get caught," she breathed, "by _you_."

At this Birkhoff drew a sudden blank. He was lost for a long minute, staring down into her beautiful face. The wonder in her wide eyes floored him. He knew she was right; he had caught her doing something off limits. Even though she didn't show a flicker of fear as she gazed up at him he could almost feel it in the air. "Don't worry, I'm not going to rat you out," he assured her, running a hand through his hair as he often did. It was a habit he'd developed back when he'd first joined Division. Something about the action soothed him; probably because he was so used to his hands always being busy.

"But the cameras-"

"Trust me," he cut her off before she could complete whatever she'd been about to say. The few words were enough to hear the worry he'd felt in the air now laced her voice. "I've got your back."

It was his soft smile that made her believe him, and all of her worries instantly evaporated. One look into the eyes that were gazing into hers and she knew that she could trust the man at his word. More than that, it was the way he said the last part that burrowed deep into her pores. She'd counted on him scolding her over the intercom and being the one to make her shuffle back to bed; the Computer lab was his domain after all. It wasn't until everything was actually happening that she suddenly found herself questioning the reasons behind the invisible bond she felt with him. "Why?" the question made its way out of her lips in a whisper. "I'm just a recruit."

Alicia's question caught Birkhoff off guard. That was one answer that he didn't have. He had a vague idea, sure, but it wasn't something he could put into words. There was a flicker of something between them that he simply couldn't explain. He knew it was crazy, hell, he knew it was _insane_, but something in that smile of hers got his heart to slow down every time he saw it. That was saying something considering all of the sugar and caffeine he took in on a daily basis. The girl relaxed him and brought down his guard just by talking to him. He couldn't very well explain feelings that he couldn't quite comprehend, nor risk looking into it any further. This was _Division_ for god's sake! So instead, he supplied her with the only method of avoiding the question he could muster up. "Not for long," he murmured.

As he'd hoped she would, Alicia took the bait and steered the conversation from reaching a level he wasn't prepared for. "What do you mean by that?" she whispered, her eyes flickering over his face.

He hesitated for a minute, letting his eyes scan the empty computer room. _What was she even doing down here?_ He wondered wildly. The question had been lost the second he'd seen her smile. When he looked to her now, it was nowhere to be seen. All that was there was curiosity and silence as she waited for his answer. "It means you need to get your ass to bed," he commandeered one of her elbows, cupping it in his hand, "before we _both_ get in trouble."

She frowned, letting him guide her to her feet without any resistance. "No we won't," she gave him a pointed look, "no one knows we're here."

"You see that?" he withdrew his hand from her elbow to instead point up to one of the corners. She followed his finger towards where a security camera rested, nestled into the ceiling. Looking back to her, seeing she had eyes on the camera, he watched her face for reactions. "There are babies like that all over Division doll, and I mean _all _over," he shook his head as the frustration of finding her on the security feeds earlier returned.

When she met his eyes there was a smile on her face, one laced with mischief. "I know that," she acknowledged with a little nod. He opened his mouth to say something or another, but she cut him off before he could get a word out edgewise. "I also know that you're too smart to get caught on camera doing something you shouldn't."

He opened his mouth to scold her some more when her words sunk in. _She knows about the cameras,_ he mulled over that fact, closing his open mouth. "I-" he fumbled for something to say.

Alicia saved him the work, and once more cut him short. "If you're here that means you erased the feeds," she stated matter-of-factly. Pleased with his flabbergasted expression she flashed him a smile. It was obvious she'd deduced the situation correctly.

"If I didn't know better I'd think you were trying to get me in trouble," Birkhoff's eyes narrowed, expression darkening the slightest bit.

"That's the last thing I want," Alicia was taken aback by his accusation. When he didn't look convinced she couldn't help but frown. "The whole reason I came here was so you _wouldn't_ get in trouble!"

"Luring me down here to-"

"You weren't supposed to come down," she cut him off, huffing in frustration as she dropped back into the computer chair. Staring up at him, she crossed her arms over her chest. She honestly hadn't meant for him to put himself at risk. The entire point of sneaking around after hours had been to avoid just that. "I didn't _lure_ you anywhere," Alicia added, trying to keep her voice even. For some reason it hurt that he'd jump to that conclusion.

Birkhoff couldn't help his eyes from wandering around the empty room. He half expected Roan to come slinking out from behind one of the computer desks, gun pointed at his heart. _This is ridiculous,_ he gave a shake of his head to clear it, _they couldn't cancel me. I'm the whole reason this place is running! _No longer worried about the threat of a Cleaner lurking in the room he focused on Alicia. "Just-" he faltered, a bit overwhelmed by the entire situation, "just what _are_ you doing down here?"

"I wanted to talk to you," she admitted, aiming for the truth. Of course she wasn't about to admit that the reason she wanted to talk to him was to figure out what he'd been hinting at the past two days.

He didn't know what to do with that one. Tired and confused, he ran his hand over his hair, staring down at her as he tried to make sense of it all. Normally he would have been happy to hear her say that, but under the current circumstances he wasn't about to let it get to his head. "It couldn't wait until morning?"

"It wouldn't be safe then."

"Safe?" he scoffed. "You think either of us would be _safe_ if someone spotted us right now?" he asked. Not waiting for an answer to the rhetorical question he continued on, "_You_ may be in Amanda's good graces, but she'd love to have _my_ head on a silver platter."

"Like I said, you weren't supposed to come down," she sighed, one of her hands covering her eyes.

"But you wanted to talk to me?" Birkhoff asked, skeptical yet again.

Explaining her plan seemed like the only option now. While it had been a pleasant surprise to see him come walking through the door, she couldn't help but wish that he would have just done what she'd expected of him. "I thought you'd get on the intercom. You know, since you're the eyes and ears of this place and all."

Birkhoff was surprised by the young recruit before him yet again. Had she been anyone else that was exactly what he would have done. "Alicia," he sighed, still not quite certain of what exactly was going on, "that was a stupid risk to take, and for what?"

"You may be the eyes in the sky, but during the day there are always twenty more pairs around," her words came out a rush. All the frustration at not being able to talk normally with him suddenly taking over. _This is my chance,_ the thought washed over her. For the first time she realized she had Birkhoff to herself. There was no Samson watching her every movement, no other Division member trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. In the dark computer room it was just her and Seymour. Though she'd never imagined he would come down to talk to her in person, it was too late to change that now. Instead she'd take advantage of what was in front of her while she had the chance. "I wanted to talk to you without feeling like I had to stick to some script," the words came tumbling out. "Every time I get to have a word with you all I can think about is who can hear what, and what they're going to twist it into."

Every instinct that Division had pounded into him told him to get out while he could. The honesty in her green eyes paired with the way she'd taken in a little breath and was holding it as she waited for his reaction as all Birkhoff needed to make up his mind. She was right; people were always keeping an eye on them when they interacted. The few times he'd been able to loosen up around her were when he'd gone out of his way to make sure no one else could hear. The moments were few and far apart, yet he'd continued to seek them out. He couldn't very well scold her when he'd been doing the same thing, albeit in a much less dangerouss way. "Look-"

"I'm sorry," she cut him off, getting nervously to her feet. The silence that had followed her admission had been the heaviest she'd felt in a long time. "You're right, it was a stupid thing to do."

As much as he loved being told he was right, Seymour didn't get any satisfaction from her worried reaction. She wasn't the perfectly composed girl that he'd been training for the past two months. In the privacy of the computer lab she'd let her guard down and his fell just as quickly as he picked up on the way Alicia was now avoiding his eyes. "Let's get you back to bed," he breathed, his hand finding its way to her shoulder once more. The moment his hand connected with her warm skin he had her full attention.

She nodded numbly, allowing herself to be lead from the room. They walked down the halls, feet softly padding against the ground as they went. Neither one said a word, but she wondered vaguely how he knew which room was hers as they stopped outside of the closed door. He withdrew his hand from her shoulder to pull open the door, meeting her eyes for the first time since they'd left the lab. "I believe this is your stop milady," he said, a hint of playfulness in his voice.

"Goodnight Birkhoff," she muttered, moving to go into the room.

Acting on impulse he turned, stepping into the doorway as he blocked her path. "Not so fast sweetheart," the sullen expression she wore making him smile. If he didn't know better she seemed disheartened that her little suicide mission was coming to an end. When she cocked her head to the side, a few of her auburn waves cascading over her breasts, he knew he couldn't just leave her without a few words first. "You're not getting off that easy."

"What are you going to do, spank me?" she asked dryly. Being dismissed by him the moment she opened up about wanting to talk to him had stung.

The sarcasm in her voice didn't escape him, but he smiled nonetheless. Birkhoff found it endearingly cute that she was miffed about her plan to talk to him going so awry. "Tempting but no," he kept his voice quiet to be on the safe side, but the playfulness in it still remained, "what I want is for _you_ to do something for _me_."

Though Alicia wanted to remain frustrated so as not to get hurt by the man, she couldn't help but take the bait. "What?" she asked, curiosity blending with a slight eagerness in her tone. She desperately wanted to know what he could possibly want from her.

"Promise me you won't pull a stunt like this again," he asked of her. When her eyes flickered away from his, his hands found their way to her shoulders, peering down as he commandeered her attention. It clearly hadn't been what she wanted to hear.

Nevertheless she nodded, gazing up into his navy eyes. She couldn't say no to him even if she wanted to. For some reason she couldn't explain she would have agreed to anything he requested of her. When he gave her a little pointed look she took the hint. "I promise," she breathed, defeated.

Her warm breath tingled over his cleanly shaven face, alerting him to just how close their bodies were. A shiver ran down his spine and he straightened up quickly, stepping out of her way to put some distance between them. "Be a good girl and sit tight for a week," he reached out, ruffling her hair. The action shocked even him, and it wasn't until his hand was on her soft locks that he realized it was that adorable pout on her face that made him do it.

The action caused her to purse her lips at his teasing, which only made Seymour's smile grow. "What happens in a week?" she asked, trying to push away the odd tingle running through her. A smile had made its way onto her face before she could stop it, and she turned her eyes away from his in embarrassment. Here she was, being trained by a secret section of the government to become a deadly assassin, and Birkhoff had made her feel butterflies in her stomach like some schoolgirl.

In a heartbeat his hand was back at his side, and his back turned on her as he started down the hall. "Just remember your promise," he reminded her over his shoulder, intent on making his way back to his room before he did anything he'd regret. _Look, don't touch,_ he reminded himself in his head. _I know better_.

"_Birkhoff,_" Alicia's whispered groan followed after him from where she stood in the doorway to her room, "what happens in a week?"

Even if he'd wanted to answer he couldn't have. A grin had taken over his lips and as he turned the corner, chancing one last glance at the young woman he'd left standing there, he knew he was doomed. There was no way he could resist that smile, just like there was no way he could resist leaving her with a question to haunt her. It was only fair after all; if she kept him up all night by invading his thoughts then he could do the same to her.


	4. The Whole Package

Michael smirked as he took in Alicia's reaction to the car they stood in front of. It was a sleek silver car, a model that was a little nicer than most of the new Agents had the honor of receiving. Birkhoff had managed to find a good deal on it, or so he'd claimed, and since it fell in the price range there had been no reason not to allow it. As nice as the car was it was the look on her face that had the man smirking. "Is that mine?" Alicia asked, her eyes flittering over to him in disbelief. She'd known that active Agents were treated well by Division, but everything still seemed like a dream to her.

"I can take it back if you want-" he teased, moving the keys he held in the air away from her as though about to take them back.

Alicia snatched them quickly from his hold, flashing a lustful grin at the car. "Don't even joke about it," she breathed, stepping up to the car.

He watched the way she ran her fingers up the hood of the car, slowly trailing her way to the driver's side. It was more than apparent that she loved the vehicle she had just been handed the keys to, and Michael couldn't help but enjoy her level of enthusiasm. If he had to be honest with himself, this was the best part of his job. She'd passed her graduation with flying colors, taking out her target as though she'd been born a killer. "First car?" he asked, hands clasped together behind his back as he stood back and observed the young woman.

"I've never even owned a bike," her distracted reply came. _I think I'm in love,_ she smiled to herself as she clicked the unlock button on the keys and the doors chirped in reply.

He quirked a brow, finding that a little sad to hear. While he didn't know exactly what her file contained, he couldn't imagine the smiling girl in front of him ever being denied anything in life. One of those smiles she had become famous at Division for and he probably would have gotten her a car off his own paycheck. "Your file said you had a license," he commented, going over the few facts about her that he _did_ know. While he'd never gone into her personal file he had been present during her selection for the program and he knew the basics. It was part of his job after all.

"I did," she acknowledged before rising her eyes to meet his, "I mean, I do."

Once more her smile worked its magic and Michael returned it with one of his own. _Good choice Birkhoff,_ he congratulated the man's selection, feeling a little sorry that he hadn't been able to see her reaction to it in person. If he knew the man at all, and he did, then he was watching from one of the cameras in the well lit parking garage. He couldn't blame him either, her clear happiness was contagious. "You can give it a try later," he informed her, drawing her attention away from the car before she could open the driver side door and climb in.

"Later?" her face fell. Unlike many of her now fellow Division Agents, Alicia saw no need to hide her emotions from her coworkers. After all, it made it easier to contain them when the time came. Not having any tension pent up from the normal day to day activities meant when the time came to play a role she could submerge herself completely. It was part of her undeniable charm.

"We have to head over to your apartment. Now that you're an Agent there's no reason to stay locked away in Division, don't you agree?"

"But," her eyes flickered to the vehicle, "what about my car?"

Michael smiled, glad that she was already referring to it as hers. The emotions she displayed were like a breath of fresh air for him. He'd been pleasantly surprised when he learned both Amanda and Percy approved of her casual personality. They found no fault in it, assuming she kept up her success at playacting whenever the need arose. "It will be delivered to your apartment, don't worry."

"Can't we take Alfred?" Alicia asked, hope in her voice as she flashed him a smile, tucking a strand of her long auburn hair behind her ear.

One of his eyebrows quirked upwards, amusement playing over his handsome face. "Alfred?"

She couldn't help but grin, stroking the hood of the car lovingly. "That's his name," she informed him with a childish level of enjoyment, "don't judge."

His gravelly laugh filled the parking structure as he shook his head in disbelief. No one would ever believe this girl was a government assassin; it was actually a little scary. "You've had it for all of two minutes and you've already named it?" he asked, trying to make sense of the young woman. She was one of a kind, but Birkhoff was right; she was _nothing_ like Nikita. Her easy going attitude paired with the natural sweetness about her appearance was inviting and pure. The only time she was serious was when it came to do with work, and then it seemed like she morphed into her role so naturally that she'd never been any other way.

With a sly smile she pressed the button on the keychain in her hand causing the car to hum to life. "See, he likes it," she joked, pairing it with a little laugh at Michael's instant look of amusement. He usually looked so serious and broody, but just like she'd done with almost everyone she ran across she was able to break down that wall. Seeing an opportunity to strike she batted her lashes at him hopefully. "Please?"

For a moment he was silent, locked in her gaze, before giving in with a heavy sigh. He didn't know why, but he couldn't deny her the simple wish. "I'll arrange for a ride back," he complied with her request, "but-" he added with a hint of authority to his low smooth voice, "I'm driving."

Birkhoff laughed when the call came in for a pick-up. The second he saw Michael climb into the car, Alicia slipping into the passenger seat with a triumphant smile, he knew that the girl had worked her magic yet again. He wasn't surprised that the moment the two were in the car a call came in on one of the lines. Though he let one of the techies answer it, he watched with a grin as plans were rearranged.

When Alicia had been informed that she was about to be given the chance to graduate she had met Birkhoff's eyes immediately. He'd mouthed the words _one week_, at her and the way her brow furrowed was oh-so worth it. She'd been going crazy trying to figure out what he'd meant by that and he had to admit it gave him a twisted sense of pleasure to tease her about it. The surprise of finding out she was being tested for graduation had clicked immediately with his teasing, and she realized that he'd known all along.

She'd never so much as suspected that his little breadcrumbs had been leading towards the fact she was going to become an active Agent. It wasn't common for a recruit to go active after only two and a half months of training. Though it wasn't all together unheard of, it wasn't common practice. Usually it would take anywhere from four months to a year for activation. It all depended on the recruit and their progress, and Alicia had progressed quickly, passing her kill job with flying colors.

His eyes wandered to the information he had pulled up on one of the monitors at his station. Now that Alicia was an active Agent he once more had her file falling into his sights. He hadn't looked at it since the day he'd initially pegged her as a potential. With her tracker activated and her status updated he'd found himself once more handling her information. On the screen was a profile shot of her, accompanied by a list of details. He scanned over the ones he'd just updated, her new status as an Agent included. It didn't take long for his eyes to reach the information regarding her now nonexistent past.

Though it was all facts that he'd already gone through once before, and Birkhoff had an amazing memory, he still skimmed over it. Alicia had been twenty-three when she'd found her way into Division's sights, or more specifically Birkhoff's. He'd been the one who had created the program that processed every arrest that occurred and flagged potentials for him to narrow down through yet another one of his programs depending on the amount of names it supplied. When she'd been arrested the program had flagged her before she'd even been booked for a trial.

Three counts of murder, and, now that Division had their claws in her, it was followed by _suicide_. While the charge wasn't unique, it was the details surrounding it that had caught the program's attention. She'd committed two of the murders at the age of seventeen, disappearing off the face of the earth and avoiding police radar for six years before resurfacing to kill again. The crimes she'd committed hadn't been the sloppy acts of passion that were often the case with someone her age. No, it was the fact that they had all been premeditated and carried out with chilling precision that had sent her to the top of his list to examine. Even more miraculous was the fact that when she'd finally gotten arrested she had allowed it to happen.

Alicia had been found sitting on the couch at her uncle's, staring down at his lifeless body tied up at her feet. While she hadn't placed the 911 call, it had been one of the neighbors, she had been aware that the cops were on the way. Instead of fleeing she had made herself a sandwich and waited for the authorities to arrive. There had been no reason for her to run, she'd told the arresting officer; she'd finally completed the one goal in her life.

She had no history of drug use and had managed to create a life for herself through legitimate means. Working any dead end job that she could get her hands on without needing a form of ID, she supported herself for six years without a paper trail. Birkhoff knew how hard that was to accomplish. It meant living strictly off of cash. Alicia could never sign a lease or leave her signature for large purchases. Nevertheless, Seymour had been able to place together the general path that she'd followed for those six years. Division needed as many facts on their potentials as possible, and he'd spent hours behind his computer going through data and recalibrating programs to search for her image.

What he'd found was that she'd covered a startling amount of ground, moving all over the states in her search for her uncle. It seemed that he had been as under the radar as the niece that hunted him with such determination. _Almost as if he knew,_ he thought, skimming over the information, _as if he knew she was after him._ Reading over the data he didn't doubt if that was the truth.

He found his fingers hovering over the keyboard, posed to begin an attack on the system. It would take a minute or two, but with the right keystrokes he could easily hack into Amanda's files. In them he'd be able to read the _real_ details about Alicia. Amanda recorded all of her sessions, taking notes and making observations on everything that went on. While he hated the woman he knew that she was amazing at her job. _A regular mind ninja,_ Birkhoff mused. The allure of finding out more information about Alicia was hard to resist.

Yet he slowly drew his hands back from the keyboard, busying them instead with grabbing an energy drink to gulp down. Peering over the rim of the can as he drank he stared at the screen before him with resolve, he promised himself he would _not_ dig into the files that he'd been denied access to. What happened between Amanda and her subjects was supposed to be private. While Birkhoff honed the recruits technological skills, Michael trained them in combat and a handful of others handled the other aspects of becoming an assassin, Amanda had the job of molding them emotionally. Her methods were often that of nightmares, and what occurred in her sessions was kept under lock and key. With the exception of Percy no one truly knew what went on behind her closed doors.

It had nothing to do with obeying orders and everything to do with Alicia that he refrained from digging any deeper. He didn't want to use his amazing hacking skills to find out about her life. It wouldn't be fair really. Nothing stood a chance against his skills, and once he had his mind set on something it was only a matter of time before he had it at his fingertips. As satisfying as that was, he knew that wouldn't be the case this time. Birkhoff didn't want to learn about Alicia through _Amanda_. The very thought was unappealing enough to make him grimace. If he was going to find out about Alicia's mysterious past, than it was going to be from _her_; not from one of his computers.

That didn't mean he couldn't use his skills to his advantage however. Swiftly closing out of his many open windows he got to his feet. "I'm taking a break," he announced to the techies that looked up at him, "no one better disturb me unless it's Christ's second coming." With a pointed look he made sure that they got the point, and they nodded in understanding. He spun on his heal, shooing a man out of his way with an irritated, "_Move!"_ before striding from the room.

Alicia was sitting on the large L shaped couch staring blankly at the skyline that lay behind the large glass panes that made up her eastern wall, when a sound startled her back to reality. It was a trilling she wasn't familiar with, and it took a second for her to place the sound. Digging into the pocket of her designer jeans, compliments of Amanda, she pulled out the phone Michael had supplied her with. While the phone was no longer making sounds, the small flashing in the upper corner alerted her to the fact that it had been the source of the sound.

With a few taps she pulled up the text message that had been the culprit of pulling her from her daydreaming state. It was a number she didn't know, and not one that was saved in the list of contacts Division had supplied her with, already programmed into the phone under code names, and she blinked down at the phone in surprise. She'd only had the phone for an hour and already she was being contacted by an unknown number?

When she opened the message she was only more confused than ever. **There's something under your bed, and it's not a monster, **it read. There was nothing more to it than that. No name, no hint at who had sent her the strange text. For a second she stared down at the screen, her face twisted in confusion. If it was code for something then she had obviously missed that day in class. Of all the code words she'd had pounded into her head at Division this unusual message held none of them.

"There's something under your bed," she read it out slowly, working over it in her mind as she did, "and it's not a monster?"

Her eyes flickered around the large room that was the living room of her new swag apartment. As she knew when she'd looked; no one was there. It was just her in this apartment, _her apartment_. The entire thing was already like some dream she'd wake up from any minute now. It seemed surreal that just a few months ago she'd been living from couch to couch, using her natural charm to find places to spend the night. For six years she'd been on the run, living day to day off of her looks and dazzling personality. She'd never even had her own cellphone before for crying out loud.

In a matter of hours she'd found herself supplied with everything a girl could ever desire. First there had been the car, which she still couldn't believe sat in the garage below just waiting for her to drive it whenever she wanted. It had been followed quickly by a cellphone and a credit card that Michael had handed over with the casual comment of, "You can use it for whatever you want, but purchases over twenty thousand need to be approved." If it hadn't been for his serious expression she would have thought he was playing some cruel joke on her.

But it hadn't ended there. No; he'd driven her to her new apartment as promised. Upon arriving in the artsy uptown building he'd lead her straight to the top floor, the elevator opening directly into her apartment after he'd typed out the passcode into the touch screen that was mounted to the wall. He informed her of the code before leading her into the apartment, commenting that she must have made a strong impression with the kill job that had resulted in her activation. Her accommodations were better than any he'd seen assigned to a new Agent before. Usually one had to work their way up to this level of treatment, but someone somewhere had decided she was a promising investment and had given her this beaut of an apartment over some other Agent out there.

Michael had left her to explore the apartment, a smile on his handsome chiseled face as he'd excused himself. He would have stayed and given her the official tour, he'd said, but unfortunately he had a ride waiting for him and didn't have the opportunity. They'd shared a smile over that, and he'd disappeared behind the closing doors of the elevator. After he'd left she hadn't known where to start, and so she'd sat on the couch and been suck there ever since.

Now that this mysterious text had pulled her from her mindless state of wonder, she got to her feet and scanned the room. The living room was spectacular; complete with an electronic fireplace. She turned and left the room, passing by the kitchen that opened up into the living room without a glance towards it. Michael had informed her that, while the apartment was fully furnished, there was no food in the place. She wandered into the bedroom, stopping when she saw the large bed. Compared to the accommodations at Division she felt like she'd died and gone to heaven. An idea came to her, and she quickly closed the distance towards the bed, dropping down onto her knees to peer under it.

There, beneath the immaculate bed, was a package. She reached under, pulling out the box with a sense of wonder. It was a little heavy, weighing maybe four pounds or so, which she found unusual since it resembled the sort of box one would find clothing gifted in. It was tied with a bright yellow ribbon, and with a curious smile she moved, sitting on the edge of the bed. Alicia didn't have time to marvel over how comfortable the mattress was, for her fingers had already started to busy themselves with undoing the bow. Discarding the lacey yellow ribbon she lifted the lid off the box, peering down inside. There, sitting among bright yellow tissue paper, was a laptop.

"Birkhoff," she grinned, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that the present had been from him. The yellow should have given it away, but it wasn't until she had laid eyes on the impressive piece of hardware that she realized who the mystery texter was. She lifted it from the box, snagging the power cord from amidst the yellow tissue paper as well, before striding into her living room. In a few moments she had it up and running, plugged in and sitting on the coffee table in front of her.

One push of a button and the machine came to life. It booted right up, and she was met with the desktop. It held two icons. The first was labeled: **Customize me!** and was the shape of a rainbow. The second caught her interest. It looked like a hooded figure, and in wispy letters beneath it said **ShadowStalker**. That was all she needed to see to know she'd guessed the gift giver right, and a big smile crossed her face as she clicked on it.

For a second nothing happened, and then the screen jumped into action. It flashed black, green letters and numbers flashing across it. If she hadn't taken Birkhoff's class she would have thought she'd just broken the thing, but her trained eyes realized instantly what was happening. The computer was going through an encoding process, and after a second of working she was greeted with a new screen. Before she could examine it, a dialogue box popped up on her screen demanding her attention.

Her eyes flickered over the message that informed her she had an incoming call, and she clicked accept without a second thought. A small light came on near the top of the laptop, and the moment she realized it was a webcam Birkhoff's image came up on her screen. "I see you found your present," he greeted her, a smile already on his face.

"You-" she stammered, unprepared for an audience with the man. A moment ago she'd been thinking about how she'd go about saying thank you, and now it seemed like the opportunity had presented itself. Or, rather, Birkhoff had presented it for her. Composing herself, she made note of the immense pleasure that coated every inch of his expression. The floored look she'd just had clearly pleased him, and she shook her head to clear her mind. "I did," she breathed, "thank you."

Ignoring her thank you, his navy eyes sparkled as he took in her smile. He'd anxiously hovered at his computer, waiting for the alert that she'd booted up his program to show up. When it had, he'd barely been able to contain his anticipation at being able to talk to her. For once there was no one who could interrupt them. There were no Division Agents lingering around, no cameras to pick up on their activity. He'd even gone as far as encrypting the program to make their communications virtually untraceable. Now that he could see and hear her, the gratification he felt was impossible to hide. "How's life on the outside?" he asked, unable to resist from digging for information.

"Overwhelming?" she supplied as an answer, her eyes flickering around the room she sat in. From the looks of it she was in the living room. Birkhoff could tell because he was the one who had graciously supplied the apartment, not that Division knew that. He had a great deal of money hidden away, and when he'd learned about her activation he hadn't been able to refrain from buying the building and conveniently adding the unoccupied top floor apartment to the list of available apartments in the Division database.

"I told you the service would be better sweetheart," he beamed at her.

She laughed, relaxing as she realized that she didn't have anything to fear anymore. This was _her_ apartment, and the only people who would be in it were people she allowed in. There would be no Samson lingering around the corner to surprise her. Knowing Birkhoff the program that they now talked on was invisible and untraceable, and it explained the encoding process it had gone through when she'd started it up. "It's phenomenal," she agreed with a nod. "Just yesterday I was sleeping in a military style bed and now I've got more pillows than a sultan!"

"You _would_ be most impressed by the bed," Birkhoff laughed, glad to see she was enjoying herself. That dazzling smile of hers had him on cloud nine, and they'd barely been talking for a minute. It was like a silent prayer had been answered for him when Alicia had come waltzing into his life. If he'd known the affect she'd have on him he would have tracked her down years ago.

"Not remotely," she shook her head with a secretive smile, "I'm actually more jazzed about Alfred to be honest."

That made him blink in surprise. _Who the hell is that?_ He wondered, keeping the shock at her announcement from his face. "Alfred?" he questioned casually.

"Oh yes," Alicia nodded on her end of the screen, "he's wonderful. Sexy, powerful, faithful- the whole package."

Though his fingers flew over the keyboard he kept his eyes trained on the screen. In under a second Birkhoff had the results of everyone in the apartment that she resided in up on one of his monitors. A few more clicks and his computer emitted a low beep, informing him the results had come up negative for anyone with the name of Alfred. "No wonder you're _jazzed_ about him," Birkhoff responded, trying to keep all the questions he had bottled up.

"Want to know the best part?" she asked, a smile playing on her lips. Alicia didn't give him time to answer that, for she was holding up a set of car keys, dangling them in the air with great satisfaction. He'd kept her guessing all week about what he knew that she didn't, and it was only fair that she got to rile him up if only for a moment. "He's turned on with the push of a button," her playful comment came, a teasing sparkle in her eyes.

Birkhoff didn't know whether to laugh or breathe a heavy sigh of relief. He didn't want to think about why it had panicked him so much to think she'd already met a man, and so instead he focused on the humor of the revelation. "You named your car?" he asked, eyes widening in amused relief.

The look on his face made her laugh, and the sound filled her empty apartment as well as his personal computer cove. "You sound just like Michael!" she exclaimed, loving how easy it was to surprise supposedly emotionless government assassins. "Is it really that surprising?"

Seymour chuckled, raking a hand through his hair as he shook his head. "For you it's not doll," he admitted. He'd become happily accustomed to all of the little surprises that the young woman would spring on him. She was difficult to predict, and yet everything that she did made him blissfully delighted to be a part of it. "But why Alfred?" he just had to know.

"If Alfred was good enough for batman," she grinned, "then he's good enough for me." Lowering the keys, she placed them on the coffee table beside the laptop. When she heard his taken aback laugh her green eyes trained on Birkhoff's image on the screen, simply radiating happiness. She was glad that she was able to make him laugh without worry of being overheard.

"So you like the car then?" he questioned her, a mischievous smile playing on his lips at the news.

"Like it," she scoffed, "more like _love_ it! After all, I did name it within two minutes of owning it, as Michael pointed out with great amusement."

Though Birkhoff wished he'd been there for the actual unveiling of the vehicle, he was content with having seen it through his eye in the sky. "I'm thrilled to hear that," his smile came naturally.

On the screen he watched as her eyes narrowed, lips pursing the slightest bit as his comment. "Birkhoff," she tilted her head, clearly taking in his image on her end of the connection, "if I didn't know better I'd say you look smug."

Leave it to Alicia to pick up on this fact. _The one time I don't brag,_ he marveled, _she zeros right in on it. If I didn't know better she's a mind reader._ For a second he waited, half expecting her to say _How did you know?_ But she didn't, because as Birkhoff knew perfectly well, mind readers didn't exist outside of the tween drivel they now called books. "Well," he admitted, seeing no reason not to now that she'd brought it up, "I may have had a hand in picking it out."

Truth be told it had been another one of his impromptu presents for her. He didn't even know why he'd done it, but by the time it had all fallen into place he had been unusually eager to see her response to it all. When Amanda had tasked him with finding a vehicle fit for her graduation present, the woman had been certain that the recruit would pass with flying colors, he'd gotten right on it. Birkhoff had always loved buying cars, and he'd spent a good few hours picking out the right one for Alicia. When he'd spotted a red Jaguar XF for sale he knew he'd found the one, and promptly went online to build a custom order. It hadn't ended there however. When the car came in he spent a good few minutes adjusting the mileage to look like it had been gently used, and then put the car up on the market under a false name.

It had been no coincidence that it just barely made it into the allowed budget for new Agent's vehicles, despite it being worth more than a pretty penny above the price he listed it at. He scooped it up with Division's funds, earning back a portion of the money he'd put into the endeavor, and had it ready to go for Alicia's activation. No one had been any the wiser, and he was a little surprised that she'd picked up on his satisfaction at her reaction when no one else had. Even Michael hadn't suspected anything, and that was saying something.

"A hand?" she pushed further, not believing that he was owning up to the full credit he was owed.

Normally he would have been bragging by now, but with Alicia he didn't find that necessary for some reason. Instead a sly smile came over his lips as he held up both hands, wriggling his fingers and said, "Okay, maybe two hands."

His expression said it all, and she laughed, shaking her head, sending her auburn waves tumbling over her shoulders. "Birkhoff, have I told you you're amazing?" she asked, praising the man on the other end of the screen. The answering smile he sent her way said it all, and she beamed happily at him. "A laptop, a car…" she shook her head in a pleased disbelief at it all, "next you'll tell me you played a part in this place!" Birkhoff nearly choked on the energy drink he'd started to take a sip of, surprised that she'd come to the conclusion so quickly. It had only been a joke, but it was too late to take back his reaction and being as perceptive as ever her eyes narrowed in on him. "Birkhoff!" she exclaimed, eyes widening in astonishment.

Alicia had only been joking when she'd made the comment, but with one look at the man she knew that she'd hit the nail right on the head. For the life of her she didn't know why he'd go to such lengths for her, but the reasons didn't matter. It warmed her to the core to know that he'd done so much for her, and she didn't even bother to question his motives. Instead she accepted the grand gestures that he hadn't even claimed credit for. Everything she knew about the man said that he should be bragging right now, as he often did about the things he did, and yet he was silent on the other end of the screen.

"You're unbelievable," she gushed, unable to contain her elation. "Do you spoil all the newbies this much?"

His spirits soared, and for the first time in ages he forgot about all the worry and stress in his life. All that mattered was the dazzling smile the beautiful young woman on his screen was wearing just for him. "Only my favorites," he shot back, a little laugh at her question. Here he was overjoyed that he'd somehow lucked out and formed an unexpected bond with the mesmerizing Alicia, and she was surprised that _he_ was paying so much attention to _her_?

"Are there that many?"

Her question had been playful, but he felt driven to answer it nonetheless. "Just one," he admitted, deep blue eyes sparkling as he gave her an easy smile. The way her green eyes lit up, a hint of red touching her cheeks, Birkhoff could feel his heartbeat pick up. Her reaction to his presents had been worth every penny of his fortune that he'd spent. Before either one could say another word, a series of beeps on coming from his computer ruined the moment.

His eyes flashed to the screen, annoyed at the moment being ruined by work. Division always found a way to ruin _everything_ for him. "Duty calls," he sighed, angrily shutting off the alert with a click of his mouse.

Alicia could almost see the happiness evaporate from his mood altogether. Though she felt a similar twinge of loss upon realizing that he had to go, she didn't let it get to her. While it was true that Division would always come first, it was also true that it was the only reason she'd ever met Seymour Birkhoff in the first place. If there was work to be done than there was nothing either one of them could do but carry out their orders. "Go get 'em tiger," she flashed a smile, noticing how his eyes darted to the screen at the sound of her voice.

Miraculously his disappointment evaporated. One look at those striking green eyes that were reached by the warmth her smile, and he remembered that things were different now. Alicia was just a click away, and if there was anything he was good at it was clicking. The alarm sounded again on his computer, and he shut it off, averting his eyes to the other screen for barely a second. This time he didn't scowl, but he did get to his feet, bending over to smile down into the webcam. "Do you still have the text I sent you?" he asked, wanting to tie up the loose ends before he became absorbed in whatever work awaited him in Operations.

"Yeah," she nodded.

"Save the number," he informed her with a smile. "It's my personal line, so it's different from the one Division would have provided you."

"One day out and I've got your personal number," Alicia couldn't help but tease, glad to see that his spirits had returned so quickly, "boy do I have skills."

Birkhoff laughed, loving her sense of humor. "No one could deny that sweetheart," he sent her a wolfish grin. Once more his computer trilled out an alert and he swiftly shut it off, not even bother to look at it this time. He was too busy enjoying the smirk she flashed him to even worry about the fact he was keeping whoever kept paging him waiting. "My line is encrypted, so if it has to do with work, use the other one. Otherwise they'll start to think we've got a psychic bond, and I know Amanda is just _dying_ to have an excuse to perform a lobotomy on me."

She laughed, understanding his fear of the woman. "I'll keep that in mind," she gave a little nod. When he flashed her a smile she couldn't help but raise her brows at him in amusement. He was just as unenthusiastic about leaving the computer as she was to let him go.

"And I'll get to keep mine," he shot back, "sounds like a plan." One more smile and he was picking up his energy drink from the desk, ready to go and face work, for once feeling energized and he knew it had nothing to do with the caffeinated beverage in his hand. "Until next time," he winked, and she responded with an adorable little wave.

Just as he exited the program the alert sounded on his monitor once more and he rolled his eyes, shutting it up yet again. There was no reason to dilly dally and so he made his way from the room, drink in hand and a smile on his face. Alicia wasn't a genius with computers like he was, but she'd definitely found a way to rewire his entire view on life in the matter of a few short weeks.


	5. Program Me

Alicia strode down the halls of Division, walking them without needing to think about where she was headed. She'd only been an active Agent for two weeks, and yet she'd already completed six jobs. According to Birkhoff it seemed as though Amanda was trying to set some sort of record with all the missions she had lined up. He felt bad that she had spent more of her time inside Division than at the apartment she'd received such a short while ago. While they'd only been able to slip in a handful of conversations on the invisible program he'd installed in her computer, they had been granted a surprising amount of face time. Half of the missions she'd had to go on were overseen by him in the Command Center, meaning that during both briefing and debriefing they found themselves in the same room.

Birkhoff had worried that upon being activated their interactions would be limited to being through the lens of a webcam. It had turned out that his worries were unnecessary. Working at Division suddenly had an upside that he'd never before experienced. Being coworkers provided them with excuses to see each other while under the guise of working. During missions he hadn't been able to refrain from opening up her personal line and talking to her as she worked. Luckily for him, having his voice in her ear proved as motivation rather than a distraction.

Nevertheless, when Amanda presented the pair with their mission for the day, they were both surprised by what the mission entailed. She met Alicia outside of the Command Center, her burgundy lips turned up into a smile. "Alicia," she greeted her, "you're looking fresh today."

Though she knew that Birkhoff was scared, for lack of a better word, of the woman who now smiled at her- she didn't hold the same fear. While she was aware Amanda's reputation around Division was well deserved, the woman had been nothing but nice to her. In fact, when Alicia had opened the closet in her new apartment it had been to find a note in the woman's elegant handwriting tapped to the back of the door. She'd opened it, her eyes scanning the closet that was filled with a well organized arrangement of clothes. _Enjoy your second chance at life, and remember: dress for success._ Amanda had personally overseen the selection of the clothes that were now Alicia's, and her taste was impeccable.

Still not used to all of the perks of being an Agent, Alicia's gaze flickered down to the fashionable skirt and blouse she now wore. "Well," her eyes rose to meet Amanda's, "I sent for some of my new outfits." She flashed the older woman a smile, who gave a small chuckle paired with a knowing nod.

"I know you've had to spend most of your nights in your old room," she motioned towards the hall in a sweeping motion of her arm, and Alicia took the hint, stepping up to her side in order to stroll down the hall beside her, "but that will be changing in a few hours."

"Am I going undercover?" she questioned, dread pulling at her gut even as she masked her voice with a twinge of hopefullness. Well aware that Amanda was putting her to more use than most Agents get after activation, she couldn't help but worry that she was about to be shipped off on some lengthy mission.

The smile that Amanda gave her as they arrived on the recruit floor was far from the false ones she donned for many of the others that comprised of Division. The young woman was truly her shining star. After Nikita had been reported dead, yet the body had mysteriously never turned up alerting them to the fact she was more than likely compromised, the woman had been striving for success. Disappointment was not something she would take easily and so she'd quickly gone about trying to find a replacement. While Alicia was nothing like the ex-Agent in question, she did hold the same level of potential. "No, for now I believe you will be better put to use _here_," Amanda replied, leading her down the hall. "When you complete today's operation," she flashed her star pupil a smile, "you will be granted a well earned break."

From the look in her eyes she could tell that the woman had played a hand in her current assignment, and Alicia made no effort to hide her gratitude. "You mean I may be able to sleep in my own bed?" she asked lightheartedly. She was aware of the fact that Amanda had overseen the furnishing of her apartment, and felt a level of compassion for the woman.

Pleasure at the young woman's appreciation, once more Amanda's smile reached her eyes. "You'll have plenty of time to get settled in," she confirmed, heels clicking on the floor in tune with Alicia's.

Walking through the training room felt oddly surreal. Every step Alicia took she could feel eyes following her, and she made no attempt to avoid meeting them. As a recruit she'd seen her fair share of Agents pass through Division's halls. Being able to see what she had to look forward to had proven as motivation during her time as a recruit. It gave her hope that she too would be able to achieve that second chance. The feeling of being undeserving had dissipated upon sight of seeing a once fellow recruit, now an active Agent, walking the halls with pride. As she met the eyes of the young men and women she wasn't surprised to note she recognized most of them.

From the corner of her eye Amanda was judging the recruits response to Alicia as well. It had caused a feeling of disappointment bordering on outrage with a few of the ones who had been training for much longer than Alicia to find that she'd been given her graduation mission. Now, as they followed her progress across the room with her head held high, it was clear from their expressions they understood why she'd been activated. Word had spread about Alicia's 100% success rate and that had earned respect in their eyes. Despite her disarmingly sweet appearance every inch of her made up a finely tuned assassin. It gave the recruits something to aspire to. While initially Amanda hadn't thought the recruits should ever come in contact with active Agents, she openly admitted that it had turned out to be a useful tool in motivating them towards success.

By the time they reached the Command Center, Alicia had a businesslike smile in place on her face. She had always been good at playing her part when the time came, and now was one of those moments where she had to play her role. Unlike her usually sunny demeanor, when it came to work she donned a professional attitude. Even when she was greeted with the pleasant sight of Birkhoff, busy at one of his computers, she maintained the cool attitude. It was clear from the way he was immersed in his work that he didn't know she was present or he would have greeted her with the same level of playfulness he always exuded these days. Broody Birkhoff was a thing of the past, and Amanda had confided in her that it was _about time_. Apparently the man had been uncharacteristically frosty ever since the incident with the mysterious Agent that had gone rogue. _Now that we're back up and running,_ she'd informed Alicia, _he has no reason to pout._

From the active atmosphere of the room Alicia quickly observed that multiple missions were in progress. It seemed as though every station was occupied by a techie absorbed by some task or another. The sound of typing keys and orders being calmly relayed into headsets filled the air, and the busy hum of the room was oddly comforting.

Amanda approached Birkhoff's work station, stopping a short distance behind him. _Just what I needed,_ he groaned inwardly, _dragon lady._ He was able to sense her presence and didn't bother so much as a glance towards her. Instead he furrowed his brow, focusing all the more intently at his screen. "Whatever it is will have to wait," he huffed, "this baby isn't going to hack into itself."

"I'm aware you're busy Birkhoff," she said in an offhand manner, "but when you have a moment I have an update for you."

"I know I'm the only genius around here, but can't you give one of these other_ incompetent boneheads_," his voice took on a frustrated tone, "whatever task you're about to assign me?" His hand snapped out, snagging the energy drink from the table, and he gulped it quickly down even has his free hand continued to type out a series of commands.

Amanda let out a sigh, pairing it with a small shake of her head. The man was truly full of himself, but she knew that despite the fact he got on her nerves he was a valuable asset. "This is important Birkhoff," her icy tone informed him.

"Everything I've got lined up is _important_," he rolled his eyes. "Hack into this server, decode this relay, track this target. . ." he listed off, motioning with one hand to the empty work station beside him that had up a handful of windows that informed him of work that he had to do, "I've only got two hands you know."

She pursed her lips, frustrated at his attitude. It was true, Percy had been loading the man up with more than his fair share of work, but she knew well enough that he could handle it. Nonetheless her eyes scanned the room before locking onto two techies. "You and you," she tersely called out, getting their attention instantly. While she didn't say another word, one look at her face had the two in question rising from their chairs and rushing to her side. They stood at attention, and while she didn't know their names, Amanda set about passing off the work onto them.

Birkhoff didn't even realized what she was doing. He was too busy finishing the final stages of the hack he was currently in the process of. Alicia watched, still standing back as she quietly waited to find out what she was doing in the Command Center, and though she remained impassive on the outside she smiled when the man behind the computer jumped up. "Bam!" he exclaimed, pointing at the screen triumphantly. "And _that_ is how you do it!"

Not amused at his habit of celebrating every time he completed an assignment, Amanda turned her attention to him. "Now that you're done playing around," she practically seethed, "I need you to pay attention. Can you do that for me Birkhoff?"

He scowled over at the woman. She didn't have any idea just how complicated his job actually was. "Playing around," he scoffed, "you call-"

"Operation SplitLevel," she cut him off as though she hadn't heard him, "you've been prepped for it, correct?"

This had his attention, and he sunk begrudgingly back down into his seat. One glance at the empty screen at the station beside him and he realized that Amanda must have doled out his other tasks to some unsuspecting techies. "I've read the file," he shrugged, "but like I told Percy; it's not something I can do without careful preparation. I'll have to create a new program just to-"

"Yes, yes I've heard your complaints on the matter," Amanda once more dismissed him. She ignored his scowl, and instead gave him a tight lipped smile to show her lack of amusement at his attitude. She missed the days after Nikita's disappearance that had resulted in the man being withdrawn. Now that Division had tasted a boost in success, following Alicia's activation, Seymour was back to his old annoyingly lively ways. Regardless of his good mood returning, one look from Amanda and she had him accordingly subdued. "Correct me if I'm wrong," she intoned, "but you can avoid that if you have a second set of hands, can you not?"

Amanda was right, he knew she was aware of this fact, and he groaned. Running a hand through his shaggy brown hair he leaned back into his seat. "They'd be covering my tracks so I could do the real work," he informed her, not liking that she'd brought up the option, "so excuse me for not trusting any of these _slackers_ to do it right. I'd rather just write a new program to do it and save the headache."

At this confirmation she flashed him another one of her painted on smiles. "You've become acquainted with Alicia's success rate I'm sure?" Birkhoff didn't know why she was asking, and he met her eyes with a curious nod. "Good," she nodded briskly, "and I seem to remember that you had positive things to say about her performance in class. In fact, you recommended her for a technician position you, did you not?"

From where she stood, Alicia was surprised by this news. _Birkhoff thought I was a good student?_ She marveled, a happy sensation taking over her. She'd always performed to the best of her abilities, that much was true, but she knew that she couldn't hold a candle to his level of skill. Just hearing that he'd thought she was good enough to work in the Command Center with him made her spirits soar. Coming from the prodigy that was quite a compliment in her eyes.

Birkhoff was hesitant to reply as he nodded. _They couldn't know_ he assured himself, dismissing the wild thought that had flickered into his mind at Amanda bringing up Alicia. He'd made sure that their interactions were undetectable, and so there was no way that she knew about their connection outside of work. "Yeah, that was me," he replied, keeping his reply casual as he shrugged. He'd recommended her for a position as a techie before he'd gotten to know her as anything more than a bright recruit, and well before he saw she was even more skilled in active combat than virtual. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Ignoring his question she smiled, waving Alicia forward. "Her specialty was in encoding and defense related tasks," Amanda droned as Birkhoff's eyes landed on the young woman who now joined them, "wasn't it?" Not waiting for his answer she turned her eyes from Alicia to Birkhoff, giving him a smug look. "You should be able to prep her to aid you in the mission, unless you don't think you're up to the task?"

There was no reason to hide the pleasantly surprised expression that washed over his face as he looked up at Alicia. He hadn't even realized she was present, and now that he realized what Amanda was saying he was suddenly looking forward to the Operation he'd been dreading only minutes ago. "What do you say sweetheart, think you can handle another lesson?" he openly teased her.

Alicia returned his playful comment with a small smile. She could hardly believe her luck! Now that she was no longer a recruit, and Birkhoff's mood had lifted, it wasn't suspicious for the pair to be seen smiling at each other. In fact, they were the two most well known Agents in Division for having lighthearted attitudes when not in the middle of a mission. It would have been more unusual for them _not_ to be smiling at each other, and luckily for them they didn't have to worry about that. "I'm sure I can manage," Alicia responded with a nod.

Satisfied with the pairing, Amanda had no reason to fake her smile when she looked to Alicia. The young woman's acceptance of the operation gave her a sense of satisfaction. The Agent was easily her favorite, and this Operation's success would give her the chance to allow the girl a break from work. Percy wouldn't deny the girl's shining potential when he got the report that she was just as good off the field as on the field. Alicia already had Michael's endorsement, and while it was no secret Amanda was fond of the girl, the only thing left was Birkhoff's seal of approval. Once she had it Percy wouldn't feel the need to monitor her assignments so closely. That would mean Amanda could use the Agent as she saw fit, and pave the path towards a bright future for her. If there was anything Amanda enjoyed more than mind games it was success, and she had no doubts Alicia would provide her with just that.

"I'll leave Birkhoff to prep you on the mission," she rested her hand on the girl's shoulder, staring down into the girls emerald eyes. "When you're finished here you'll have some time off before you'll be needed again," Amanda was glad to inform the girl of the news. From what she'd learned of Alicia in their sessions, the young woman had never been able to experience what a home was. The fact that Division could provide her with that meant its hold on her would be all the more secure, and Amanda was not going to let _this_ one slip through her fingers.

"Shall I stop by your office when I've finished?" Alicia questioned, staring up at the woman. Though the smile on her lips wasn't the same as the ones she shared with Birkhoff, it was just as genuine nonetheless.

"There will be no need for debriefing on this Operation," Amanda gave a small shake of her head, her short dark hair swaying the slightest bit. "You'll be able to return home and settle in, I know you haven't had the chance to do that yet," the trusting look in the young woman's eyes made her feel all the more secure in her selection of the girl as her favorite. "Feel free to explore the city and take some time to get acquainted with the area. It will be a little while before you'll be needed, so enjoy your new home and get comfortable."

As Amanda had intended it to, the word _home_ warmed Alicia's heart. "I'm looking forward to it," she couldn't contain her dazzling grin.

Turning her attention to Birkhoff, Amanda picked up on the man's grimace. The unhappy expression on his boyish face gave her the same sense of pleasure it always did. "Play nice Birkhoff," her voice was patronizing as she addressed him, "you won't want to get on Alicia's bad side if you know what's good for you." With that said she turned and strode from Operations, leaving the two to finish the assignment they'd been given.

Seymour scowled after the woman, a sour taste in his mouth just from talking to her. While he was glad that Alicia wasn't on the Inquisitor's hitlist, unlike him, things still didn't sit well. He hated Amanda's interest in Alicia. It made him feel sick to the stomach every time he caught sight of the smile that she'd give his favorite Agent. Unlike the cold calculated smiled that Amanda was known for, she exchanged honest ones with Alicia and that was an expression that terrified him. Anything that gained the _dragon lady's_ interest was doomed in his opinion. She had a way of molding people into what she wanted, and what the psychotic woman wanted was never good.

At first he'd worried that she'd want to turn Alicia into a cruel professional such as herself. Instead the woman had done the unexpected, and instead she openly encouraged and supported the young woman's lighthearted manner. Since it didn't affect her ability to kill, there had been no reason for Amanda to mold her personality into a different state. In fact, if Birkhoff knew anything about the woman- and he did, he'd say that Amanda had realized she could use Alicia's unlikely pureness to her advantage.

"She's lying," Alicia's voice broke him from the worried path it had started down, "I don't have a bad side."

He laughed, the concern Amanda had left him with dissipating with one of her smiles. "You're not very modest," he observed with a playful scoff, "but you are honest."

Glad that the frustrated look he'd been wearing just a moment ago was gone, she beamed down at him. "Look who's talking, _ShadowStalker,_" she whispered with a secretive smile. The name he'd given the program that the two chatted on made her giddy every time she saw it. It was just so entirely Birkhoff.

"That's _Master_ to you," he gave her a wry smile. Before she could react to his comment he pointed towards the open computer station next to him. "Sit your ass down and get ready to obey," he ordered her, suddenly loving the mission they'd just been given, "because I'm not going to take it easy on you, despite Amanda's little warning."

With a surprised laugh she did as he said, slipping into the computer chair. The moment she was seated Birkhoff had rolled up to her side, eyes on the screen as he reached in front of her, fingers on the keys. "What am I going to be doing exactly?" she asked, looking at the man who was hovering just an inch from her as he bent forward to invade her computer station.

"Operation SplitLevel," he informed her as he pulled up the corresponding file on her screen. Once it was up he relaxed back into his seat, watching as she read the information that he had pulled up for her. He studied the side of her face without any hint of discretion, taking in the serious expression she donned as she made herself familiar with the mission. If he didn't know better he'd say she was part chameleon. The way she was able to switch emotions without any effort wasn't a skill she'd picked up from Division; it came naturally.

When she finished reading over the details of the mission she turned her eyes over to where Birkhoff sat, his chair pressed up against hers. "Fairly straight forward," she gave a small nod, her eyes returned to the screen. "A virtual attack coordinated with a ground assault," she observed.

"Not as easy as it may sound," he reached over her again, arm brushing against hers as he maneuvered the mouse. With a few clicks he pulled up some more information on the criminal organization in question. "While they try to subdue the threat on the ground I'll only have a short window to break down their defenses and launch my attack before they wise up," Birkhoff's eyes flickered to see that Alicia was still paying attention to the screen in front of her.

He ran through the details of the plan, filling her in on anything that she'd need to know for things to go smoothly. Before long he was leaning back in his seat, sipping on his energy drink with pride in his eyes as he took in his student. She'd come a long way from the girl who'd struggled through her first week. Looking back he felt bad for all of the insults that he'd thrown out when she and her fellow recruits failed. Granted, he treated all of his students like that, but now it made him wonder. How had she been able to smile at him every day regardless of the biting comments that rolled from his lips? He knew better than anyone that he'd be a stick in the mud ever since the whole Nikita ordeal.

Pulling his eyes away from Alicia, he returned to his own station, getting to work as he left her to her task. The pair were submerged in their work, and yet remained aware of the fact the other was at their side. It felt natural to be under Birkhoff's direction once more, and whenever he invaded her personal bubble to give her directions on what to do she paid rapt attention. The man was truly a genius when it came to computers.

Alicia didn't even have time to doubt her abilities before she was met with his grin, his eyes moving from her screen to commandeer her attention. "You're easier to program than a computer," he laughed, "and better to look at too."

"Is that a compliment?" she asked, quirking a brow. Though she played it cool, his words gave her confidence. If Birkhoff was comparing her to the computers that he reigned over, than she must be doing something right.

"Don't let it get to your pretty little head," he reached out, ruffling her hair. One of the techies cleared his throat, causing the pair to look up in surprise. He stood behind Alicia's station, but with Birkhoff's rolling chair pressed up against hers it was hard to tell who he'd come up to talk to. "What?" Birkhoff snapped, shooting a narrowed glare.

The man straightened the slightest bit, his eyes darting from Alicia to Birkhoff. "Teams are in place," he announced, adjusting his headset.

"Send them in," he ordered. Turning his attention to Alicia, Seymour smiled. "Ready to rock n' roll?"

Before she could respond the sound of the man behind them interrupted once more. "You have the green light," he spoke into his mike, but his eyes were on Alicia as he said it. She met his blue eyes, not quite sure why he was staring at her so steadily. "Team one and two hold for further instructions," his low voice continued on, despite the fact he continued to hold her gaze. Wondering why she was being stared at, her eyes shifted to Birkhoff's to see if she could find the answer there.

He grimaced at the techie, whose eyes had finally moved to meet his. He didn't even get the chance to shoot him a glare, not liking the way he'd been looking at Alicia one bit, before the man's eyes were once more on her. It rubbed him the wrong way and he growled, "Well?"

"Operation is in motion," the man's voice was directed at Birkhoff this time, his eyes snapping to the man.

"Then get to work," Birkhoff hissed, shooing the man off with a waving of hands. His tone sent the techie scrambling back to his station without so much as a glance back. When Birkhoff finally turned his irritated gaze back to Alicia she flashed him a little teasing smile. "What's so funny?" he asked, lips tight.

She leaned in towards him, flashing a little glance in the direction of the techie who was now staring at his computer with great determination. "Everyone here is scared of you," she whispered, realizing what the look the technician had been giving her meant. _He was surprised Birkhoff was being playful,_ she realized. She hadn't noticed until that point that everyone had been staying out of Seymour's business. The only time they interacted with him was when he was barking orders to them or demanding a refill for the energy drink addiction he clearly had. While he no longer had the brooding attitude that he had when she'd first met him, the humor he held wasn't shared with anyone. Apparently she was the only one who understood and participated in it.

_Not scared enough,_ he thought, his eyes narrowing angrily on the man who had ruined the moment. This was the first time he had Alicia in _his_ domain. In the Command center _he_ was the one in control. Unlike when she was out on the field and he could only sit back and watch, here he could let her see the real work that he did. She'd get to see him in action, and he was enjoying every second of it. When he realized Alicia was staring at him he turned, only to be met with her smile. It broke him down instantly, and the annoyance evaporated. "They're not the only ones who should be scared," he wheeled back to his station. Flashing her a grin he laced his fingers, flexing them in front of him, before placing them on the keys. "Ready?"

Alicia nodded, turning her attention to her own screen. Nervousness pulled at her gut, but she shrugged it off. Being in the field didn't hold as much tension as being behind a computer did. This wasn't just some simulation. If she didn't perform well then it wasn't just her at risk, it was other people at risk. If she failed then the _entire_ mission went down the drain. _I don't even have the hard part,_ her gaze shifted to Birkhoff, who sat hunched over his computer. His fingers were flying, eyes locked on the screen. Time seemed to stand still as the figures on his display caught her attention. They raced so quickly she couldn't make sense of any of it, and yet it felt like she'd only had the time to blink once when Birkhoff's voice brought her back to earth.

"I'm almost in," his words were directed at her, but he was still intently focused on his monitor, "get ready babe."

Her eyes snapped to the computer and she waited, fingers ready at the keys. Every second that passed she could feel some imaginary gear in her stomach winding her tighter and tighter. She exhaled a little breath, trying to calm herself as she watched Birkhoff's progress on her screen. He had worked his magic; assaulting the virtual defenses that had been put up to keep people like him out. Only Birkhoff wasn't just anyone. "Take that," he exclaimed, and Alicia could see her screen change as they were granted access, "you are now _ShadowWalker's _biznotch!"

Alicia launched right into it, her fingers dancing over the keys. Birkhoff had time to glance over at her, taking in the sight of her at work. She looked calm and composed, engrossed in her work. He loved the sight of her behind a computer, working the virtual world with the skills that she'd developed under his instruction. Once more his eyes returned to his screen, instantly diving back into his work.

They were a team to be reckoned with, and he couldn't stop the grin from taking over his lips. Alicia worked, trying to resist from biting her lip as she frantically commandeered the defenses that Birkhoff had just broken through. The second she had control of the system Birkhoff took over on his screen, but not before saying, "Now's the fun part."

An alert flashed, and Alicia realized that her opponent this time was virtual. _It's just like on the field,_ she told herself, _use what I know._ She exhaled a little breath and began to do what Birkhoff had made her practice earlier. With trained precision she typed out the strings of commands that had been engraved into her mind after weeks of practice. Her job was simple: play defense while Birkhoff ran offense. As he worked his way through the web of information Alicia felt the tension in her veins lifting. She skillfully led whoever was trying to track Seymour's progress on a wild goose chase.

The plan had worked, and whatever the Agents where doing out in the real world was going off without a hitch. While she didn't know what exactly they were doing, the chatter that filled her ears from the Command Center all sounded positive. All that mattered was it had gone just as Birkhoff had informed her it would. While the Agents sent the people on the ground into a scramble, he had been able to break into their system before they were any the wiser. Alicia had jumped in, resurrecting the scraps of the defense that he'd left behind, piecing them back together under Division's control.

Now, as Birkhoff dug for whatever was the goal of the mission, Alicia was left to fend off the desperate attempts to regain control of their systems. In the time it had taken them to realize what was going on she had already gotten five steps ahead. Everything was going perfectly until Birkhoff tripped an alert. "You snake bastard!" he growled in outrage. "No, no, no, this isn't happening." Alicia watched the defenses she'd built up shattering. It only took her a heartbeat to realize that whatever Birkhoff had tripped allowed remote access on the system. He swiftly launched into a frantic attack on his keyboard, tapping so quickly on the keys that it was a wonder he didn't break them.

_Think, what would Birkhoff do?_ Her mind prompted and so she observed, taking a moment to recognize what he was doing, before jumping into action. Before he could finish the first string of code she'd already started on the second, working at a furious pace to catch up to him. The moment it appeared on her screen that he'd sent his out to be processed she quickly followed it by sending out her own. The wall was back up, whoever was on the other end probably stunned at how quickly their override had been shut down. It was clear Birkhoff was, for he muttered a stunned, "What the hell?"

"Chill," Alicia's voice surprised him. His eyes darted to her, and when he saw the quick smile she flashed him, her eyes only flickering to him for an instant before returning to the screen. "I've got your back," she mirrored the words that he'd once used on her.

Birkhoff quickly realized what she'd just done. She'd finished the second step of his code, reading his mind on how to regain control, and cut the time it would have taken in half. He wasn't used to working so closely with someone, and had forgotten that she was there when things had gone out of control. Not missing a beat he followed her lead, strengthening the defense as Alicia did the same. While she had a head start on him, they finished at the same time and once more they were ahead of the competition by a good few steps. "Cover me," he ordered, "I'm going back in."

His face loomed closer to the screen as he bent forward. On her computer Alicia obeyed, sending the invisible enemies after false leads. It wasn't difficult to do, and she watched as their attempts were redirected to directories that Division didn't have the slightest interest in. Whipping up an algorithm like Birkhoff had taught her, she could almost hear his directions repeating in her mind. Following them blindly, judging her memory to be accurate, she soon had it active and codes were generated at a fast enough pace that it would hold off anyone who triggered it for a good minute or two. It wasn't long, and it wasn't perfect, but it was just enough to buy some time.

"It's a fucking minefield," Seymour remarked, eyes narrowing as he maneuvered his way through the directories that were now filling his screen.

"More than half of this information is nothing but bugs," Alicia agreed with a mystified nod. She watched his progress, keeping track of the defense they'd built up out of the corner of her eye. No one had triggered her trap yet, meaning she had time to watch the man work.

"These guys are paranoid," he muttered, shaking his head as he hunted for the files that he was supposed to be retrieving. It didn't take long for the master hacker, and soon he had exactly what he'd been sent to obtain. "Not paranoid enough," he grinned, starting the download. The progress bar quickly filled and the ping of completion came at the same time that Alicia's trap was sprung. When Birkhoff spotted it he took complete control, leaving Alicia nothing to do but watch as he typed in a series of commands before relaxing back into his chair with a satisfied grin.

She stared at the screen for a moment. _It's done,_ she marveled at the completed progress bar that lingered on the black of the monitor, _just like that_. It had been her first Operation from behind a computer, and the whole thing felt sort of surreal. It was hard to believe that just moments ago she'd been frantically calling up code and launching a cyber intrusion.

While the look on her face gave nothing away, he could almost sense her incredulity what she'd just done. Active duty was nothing like the work that went on in Operations. He knew from teaching the recruits for so many years that the feeling of completing a mission from behind a screen was unique. Some people couldn't handle the pressure the job entailed. Working solely with your brain wasn't something that everyone could do. "We're out," Birkhoff called out towards the two techies who were overseeing the Agents in the field, the man from earlier included.

"That was so," Alicia paused, her breathy voice hanging in the air as she searched for the right word to use, "_fast_."

"Time flies when you're having fun," he teased, catching her wide eyes in his.

Birkhoff's grin caused her to smile, and she relaxed back into the seat. "You call that fun?" she chuckled, shaking her head. How Birkhoff couldn't manage to do that day in and day out she had no idea. It had only been two hours and she felt like time had flown, and yet fried her brain at the same time. "I don't know how you can do it," she admitted, "I'm drained."

"There's a reason for my addiction," he teased, lifting his energy drink from the table. Birkhoff finished off the remained of the acidic beverage with a few large gulps before setting the empty can aside.

The same techie that had interrupted them before did so again, hovering a few steps behind the two. "All teams have reported in. Zero casualties," he reported. His eyes never left Birkhoff's. "Percy has requested you for debriefing."

While Seymour had wanted to walk Alicia to her car, at least this once, he found himself denied that chance. Instead all he could do was walk her out the door of Operations. The moment they stepped into the hall they had to part ways, and left with a casual goodbye and an exchange of smiles. It felt weird to let her leave, knowing that he wouldn't be seeing her at Division for an undisclosed period of time. Amanda had made it clear that Alicia was about to get some time off. How much time, however, he didn't know. Everything surrounding Alicia was unusual. It was an unusual he thoroughly loved, and the moment he finished with Percy he found himself settling down in front of his computer, booting up **ShadowStalker**.

The elevator doors closed behind Alicia, and she was surprised to find a bottle of wine sitting out on her counter complete with a crystal glass. A card was leaning against it, and she lifted up the ivory cardstock. When she opened it, the elegant print of Amanda met her eyes. _A little housewarming gift. Enjoy – A. _Alicia didn't need to be told twice and she scooped up the glass and bottle, striding into her bedroom. After slipping into a nightgown it was only a matter of time until she'd opened her laptop. Sitting cross legged with her back resting against the headboard, she had just opened the wine when the request for a video call came in.


	6. House Call

Alicia stared at the figure on the screen even as she handed over the credit card. Every aspect of the simple action of signing her name on the pad felt made her feel all the more conspicuous. She couldn't stop the odd pitter patter of her heart, even as she loaded the grocery bags. As she wheeled the cart out of the supermarket, she couldn't keep her eyes from flickering over the people who were entering. It was hard to lose the old habit of keeping an eye out for the police. For so long she had been on the run, prepared at any moment to disappear. Any time she felt the slightest suspicion that someone was on to her, she would split.

_Not any more,_ she had to remind herself, shaking the worry from her mind. Alicia Ophain no longer existed, and therefore no one could possibly be after her. Division had erased her former identity completely. There was no reason to suspect anyone was after her; there was no one who knew she was still alive. As far as anyone was concerned she was Alicia Linnet, and Alicia Linnet was no wanted murderer. No, she was just your average single young woman out shopping for groceries. Amanda had followed through on giving her a break, and after five nights of ordering in she had finally broken down and gone food shopping.

With a push of a button she had Alfred purring a greeting as he warmed the interior for her. She rolled the cart towards the vehicle, opening the trunk with another push of a button the moment she had reached it. It was dark out, but the lights inside of the spacious trunk illuminated the area in a comforting fashion. Her mind was still in the clouds as she tried to relax herself. Everything was so new to her. Being out in the world was more terrifying than being in a den of government assassins. It was irrational, she knew this, and she tried to focus on the task at hand.

Lifting one of the bags from the cart she moved to place it in the trunk, pushing the brown paper bag up against the wall for support. She'd just started to straighten up when a hand landed on her shoulder. In her current state she acted before she could think. She spun, quickly grasping onto the arm as she went. When the man responded by slipping out of her hold it was too late for her to stop and think.

Her training kicked in and she went on the attack. Sweeping her leg in a smooth movement she knocked the man's legs out from under him, sending him to the ground. He was back on his feet surprisingly fast, and now she lost the small reserve of restraint that'd been confining her to defense. In fact, everything was unfolding at such a quick pace that she didn't have a chance to look at her attacker. As he dodged one of her fists her senses alerted her that he was trained, but it was too late to avoid his grabbing hands.

Strong arms pulled her against a wall of muscle, and her head hit his chest, arms pinned at her sides. The sudden sensation of being restrained enraged her. She hated her small size; she hated that unlike her attacker she could be contained with two arms holding them chest to chest. Instead of letting it discourage her, she found Michael's words filling her mind. Division had trained her better than this. Letting go of the fact she was in a public parking lot she allowed herself to slip out of civilian mode and into that of the Agent she was.

The response was instant. Her muscles sprang to life, body moving on its own. It was like a switch had been flipped and she was moving without thought. She went through the actions that had been instilled in her. Unlike when she was behind a computer everything came naturally. Her body responded to the threat and she soon found herself in the dominate position. One arm around his throat, his body bowing back as she held his shoulder blades flush against her chest. Just as she began to put pressure on his windpipe his voice stopped her dead.

"Whoa!" Birkhoff managed to get out, his hands latching onto the arm that was poised to strangle him. For being such a small girl she was impossibly strong, and though she had stopped increasing the pressure of her hold he couldn't pry the arm away. "It's me," he breathed, chest heaving.

Alicia dropped her hold on him, taking a stunned step back. "Birkhoff?" her voice came out cool. Though she'd released him every muscle in her body was still in kill mode.

He turned on her, holding his hands up in surrender. When he'd approached her he'd meant to surprise her, but he hadn't considered that she'd respond like _this_. Birkhoff knew that Agents were always prepared for anything, but usually on the outside they were more reserved. Division couldn't very well have Agents out breaking arms every time some unsuspecting civilian surprised them. Michael taught the recruits how to fight, sure, but he also instilled in them restraint. "Bingo," he nodded, eyes doing a quick sweep of her. There was no hint of her usual smile, and it was clear from her posture that, while she'd released him, she was anything but relaxed.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, taken aback at everything that had just happened.

Birkhoff's eyes scanned the parking lot quickly before meeting hers. He'd waited until she was out of the range of the super market's cameras before approaching her. While there were no cameras about he couldn't say the same for eyes. If anyone had just witnessed the little scuffle there was the chance they may still be watching. "Give me a hug," his voice was low as he caught sight of a man rolling his cart towards them. While he couldn't be sure that he'd seen anything, it was clear from Alicia's stance she was being defensive and he wouldn't be surprised if that was enough to make the man intervene. If Birkhoff had been in the man's place one look at her wide eyes and even _he_ would have stepped in. Alicia was too stunned by his request to process it. While she didn't move an inch Birkhoff closed the distance between them, taking her into his arms. He held her close, stooping his head to whisper into her ear. "I'm not that scary, am I?"

She couldn't help but let out a little laugh, feeling comfortable in the arms that just a moment ago had her attacking. It still didn't answer what he was doing here, nor explain the odd demand. "What on earth is-"

"Civilian," he cut her off, voice still a light whisper, "six o'clock." When her eyes flickered in the direction he'd indicated she noticed the man who was indeed watching the couple. He'd stopped three cars down, unloading the contents of his cart into the back of his truck. While he wasn't exactly staring, he made no effort to hide the fact that he was interested in what was going on between the pair. "Act natural," he advised before releasing her.

Alicia had no idea how on earth she was supposed to do that. Every single aspect of the situation was new and confusing to her. She stepped back, running a hand through her auburn waves as she stared up at Birkhoff. For a moment she hesitated, before remembering what she'd been doing when he'd snuck up on her. "Easier said than done," she huffed, under her breath before moving towards the abandoned shopping cart.

With a smooth step Birkhoff blocked her path, a smile playing on his lips as he cut her off. "I'll get those," he grinned when his words caused her to purse her lips, "you just get in the car."

"Birkhoff-"

"And give me the keys," he cut her off, "I'm driving."

Her eyes narrowed in on the hand he extended her way. _What the hell is going on here?_ She wondered, begrudgingly handing over the keys nonetheless. "Fine," she allowed him to take control of the situation. After all, he was the only one who knew what he was doing there.

Birkhoff watched as she climbed into the passenger seat, unable to hide her confusion at the situation. When he turned to the cart he frowned. He'd planned to surprise her with a visit, having followed the progress of her tracker to the grocery store. There had been no missions to hold him at Division tonight, and the only thing that he wanted to do was see Alicia. He wasn't sure when the next opportunity would arise, and he'd gotten right on it. Her reaction hadn't been one he'd expected. Normally Alicia was lighthearted and had an easy air around her. More than that, she was well trained. Being caught off guard shouldn't have resulted in the tussle that it had. In fact, Birkhoff had been caught off guard by her reaction and had no time to calm her down before things had escalated out of hand.

The moment Alicia heard the trunk close, signaling Seymour had finished loading her groceries, she angled herself in the seat to question him. He'd barely closed the door behind him before she was firing the first one off. "What's going on Birkhoff?" she asked, unable to contain her confusion.

"Not happy to see me?" he responded with a question of his own. When she furrowed her brow, eyes flickering from his face to his hand as he slipped the keys into the ignition, he smiled. "I'm not needed for the night, and figured I'd pay my favorite Agent a visit," he informed her in an easy tone.

The smile this comment usually would have drawn out of her wasn't present. Instead she only looked all the more bewildered. "How did you know where I was?" Alicia questioned. Though Birkhoff's eyes were trained on the road he was now driving down, he flashed her glance, eyebrows raised as if to say _you know how._ One look from the man and it clicked. "My tracker," she exhaled with a little nod, "right." Her hand reflexively found its way to the spot where the tracker had been implanted just above her right hip bone. "I'm not used to being so easily found," she admitted.

"You'll get used to it," he shot her a reassuring smile.

While she didn't know if that would ever be the case, she couldn't stop herself from giving a weak smile in response. She understood why Division had to track her; they couldn't very well let trained assassins out loose in the world. It was a necessary security measure. As Amanda had explained upon Alicia graduating; the tracker had many purposes. Say, if a mission were to go awry, Division needed a method to locate captured Agents. But if Birkhoff could pull up access to it at any instant so could Division. _They'll know we're together,_ realization donned on her like a hot poker. "Birkhoff," she paused, worry already creeping up on her, "what about _your_ tracker?"

From her tone of voice Birkhoff could sense her apprehension. He was glad that she was so perceptive. It was nice to know he wasn't the only one paying attention to the little details. "Can you keep a secret?" he asked, mischief lacing his voice.

He had her interest, as he knew would happen, and she momentarily lost the look of concern. Her green eyes met his, curiosity sparkling behind them. "Of course I can," she remarked, "I _am_ a secret."

"According to my tracker I'm safe and sound back in my apartment," he paired the information with a devious grin.

This news took a second to sink in, and when it did Birkhoff was rewarded with Alicia's astounded smile. "You've thought of everything, haven't you?" she marveled.

He chuckled, feeling comfortable in her presence. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that he was safe when it came to sharing the aspects of how he was able to sneak around with her, without feeling paranoid. They were both at risk if they were caught together, and Alicia knew that. Despite the danger their interactions held she trusted the steps he was taking to keep them secret, and that was a good feeling for Birkhoff. Trust wasn't something that one ran across often in their line of work. When his eyes left the road to take her in, he was reminded of the incident in the parking lot. "Almost everything," he commented, "I didn't count on you going all Kill Bill on me back there."

"Sorry about that," she muttered, clearly embarrassed by the episode.

"What happened?" Seymour inquired. He'd been able to tell the moment she had released the choke hold on him that she was shaken by her actions. "You seemed out of sorts."

Her initial reaction was to shrug off the question and reply with some vague answer. But the second she met his navy eyes that thought evaporated. As thankful as she was to Division for giving her a new life, it had also changed everything. Alicia felt like she was constantly wearing a mask. While she could still smile and laugh naturally, it didn't hold the same substance as it once would have. The only time she felt truly at ease was around Birkhoff, and she didn't quite know the reasons behind it. Something about him disarmed her, and she felt a flicker of her old self was still alive. So when she took in the genuine interest in his gaze she decided to answer freely. "I was on the run for years, and in that time I was pretty paranoid," she admitted. "Now that I'm back in the real world," she paused, "well, it's kind of intimidating."

Birkhoff was aware of how she'd lived for the six years leading up to her arrest. She'd lived under the radar, leaving no paper trail and never staying anywhere long. That type of lifestyle took a lot of looking over your shoulder and covering your tracks. While he desperately wanted to know more about Alicia's past, he didn't want to press for information. There'd come a time where they could talk about it, or so he hoped, but now wasn't it. "Six years is a long time to run," he said softly, giving a knowing nod.

She let out a breath, relaxing into the seat. Talking to him about it was oddly comforting. "Paying with a credit card, signing my name. . ." she shook her head, "it all just felt so _wrong_. Everything in me told me to get out of there, even though I knew that nothing was going to happen." Alicia watched as Birkhoff's eyes left hers long enough to type in the access code for the parking garage of her apartment. She didn't bother asking how he knew where she lived, or how he knew the code. It was Birkhoff after all. Instead she returned his sly smile with one of her own. "You know, for a techie you're pretty strong," she couldn't resist teasing him.

"Techie?" he scoffed, as she knew he would. "Babe, I am _the_ Shadow Walker."

Birkhoff couldn't stop from smirking when he met her smile. "Well, _Shadow Walker_," Alicia looked out of her tinted windows towards the elevator door, "mind using those muscles to help me carry up groceries?"

He just laughed, putting the car into park before climbing out. She took that as a yes and followed suit. As she made her way to the trunk of the car she heard him open the back door, and watched as he pulled out what could only be a computer case. After slinging the bag over his shoulder he clicked open the trunk, looking up to her. "Catch," he chimed.

In a smooth move she snatched the keys he'd tossed her direction from the air, tucking them quickly into the purse slung over her shoulder. "Hey," a thought occurred to her, "where's _your _car?"

"_Cars_," he corrected her with a grin that would rival the Cheshire cat, "and they're at home. I took a taxi."

She didn't know what to do with that tidbit of information. Alicia knew that Division took care of their Agents, the credit card in her purse was proof of that, but she had the sneaking suspicion that Birkhoff had another means of money. While he could have easily covered his tracks when buying the laptop, she had a feeling that it hadn't been purchased on a Division issued card to begin with. He'd had something to do with Alfred and the apartment they were now about to go up to, and that had to be an expensive endeavor on his part. While she hadn't thought too deeply into it when he had owned up to the grand gestures, she found herself wondering about it now.

Her eyes took in the man at her side, brown grocery bags in his arms as they strolled towards the elevator. Birkhoff was a mystery to her. The man was a genius, clearly had a great deal of money and was crucial member of a secret government organization that bred assassin's such as herself. Yet here he was, helping her with a normal domestic task. While seeing him type in the passcode that opened the elevator didn't come as a surprise, the fact that he was with her was. _What's he doing?_ She wondered, scanning him out of the corner of her eye as they sidled into the elevator. _He could be anywhere he wanted to be right now, and he's with me?_ Alicia couldn't understand it, just like she couldn't understand the happy buzz that she felt at realizing the hoops he'd had to jump through to get to her.

Something about Seymour made her feel real, made her feel _alive_. His playful attitude, his eccentric ways and the way he addressed her so casually was like a breath of fresh air. He was something different; something special. So, when he typed in the code for her apartment and the doors slid open, she wasn't surprised that he let himself in. It felt natural to have him in her home and she followed him into the kitchen. They rested the bags on the island counter before finally looking at each other. "I'm going to put this stuff away," the words left her lips without a second thought, "make yourself comfortable."

"Don't mind if I do," he flashed a wink before waltzing into the living room. Birkhoff went straight to the couch, setting down his computer bag on the large L shaped couch. His eyes danced over the apartment as he went about setting up his computer things on the coffee table. _Amanda really spared no expense,_ he couldn't help but think with a little frown. While he knew the layout of the spacious apartment like the back of his hand, the furnishings were all new to him. They were all high end and clearly expensive but that wasn't what bothered him. He could feel a hint of Amanda in everything in the apartment, and at the same time it all reflected what Alicia would enjoy most. The mixing of the two didn't sit well with him. Amanda paid enough attention to Alicia to understand her tastes and it made him worry once more for the young woman.

From her spot in the kitchen she could see Birkhoff in the living room. It didn't surprise her to find he'd somehow smuggled some computer things into the back seat of Alfred. He'd played a hand in getting the vehicle, and she had a strong suspicion that he more than likely had his own set of keys. Alicia tucked a box of cereal up into the cupboard, finishing the task of stocking her kitchen with the food she'd purchased. "I was going to make something to eat," Alicia's voice carried across the room, breaking Birkhoff's attention away from the screen in front of him, "are you hungry?"

He turned to look over his shoulder and his eyes landed on her, lost in the moment. She stood, hands on the island counter that separated the open kitchen from the living room, her eyes trained on him. Her hair fell over her shoulders in long auburn waves, green eyes sparkling. It was as much the question as the beautiful young woman asking it that made his heart skip a beat. "Ah-" he caught himself, clearing his mind, "yeah that'd be great."

When she went straight to work, going through the cupboards she'd just stocked moment ago, he returned his eyes to the screen in front of him. While he didn't have any missions for the next two days, or at least none scheduled, he knew he wasn't off the hook. Outside of Division he didn't have much of a life, and it wasn't exactly a secret. Even when he was in the comfort of his home, or apartment according to his tracker, he would slip in a few hours of work. It would have looked unusual for him to be at home all afternoon without having logged onto the server to monitor things.

The moment they'd arrived at Alicia's apartment he'd gotten straight to business. He ran his routine checks on the system, going through the motions of his usual activities. Seymour was a man whose life revolved around little details. Everything he did was precise and thorough. When he did a job he did it right the first time; that included making sure that his and Alicia's relationship remained a secret. _Relationship_, the word caused him to raise his eyes from the screen. In the large windows that formed the eastern wall he could see the reflection of Alicia hard at work in the kitchen.

_Look, don't touch,_ his mind rang out. But as his eyes tracked her every movement he knew it was far too late for that. He'd gotten to his feet before he realized what he was doing, and this time he didn't stop himself. With resolve he quickly closed covered the distance that separated him and Alicia. His feet carried him all the way into the kitchen and right up to her. She heard him approach and looked up, one hand on the frying pan that sat on the stove, the other tucking her hair back behind her ear. Alicia's mouth opened to say something, but it never made it out.

Birkhoff's arms were around her before she had the chance to react. The food she'd just been cooking forgotten, the only thing she was aware of any more was the way that he dipped her back as his lips closed in on hers. The moment their lips met her mind went blank. She was frozen for a moment, trying to process what exactly what happening. Before she had a chance to Birkhoff pulled back, his navy eyes shining as he stared down into hers. "I've wanted to do that for a long time," he said, voice surprisingly smooth.

Alicia didn't know what to say, what to do. Every instinct was screaming out that it was a trap. _Lesson One: don't get attached._ Every member of Division had this pounded into their minds from their very first day. It wasn't a secret that, while Agents were allowed to have physical relations, having an actual relationship was strictly off limits. If it wasn't for the purpose of a mission or part of your cover then it was potentially dangerous. Those who didn't follow the rules were punished, and Division was not an organization that was afraid to make that punishment death.

"Birkhoff-" she breathed, faltering as she tried to find the words to say. Once more he lowered his lips to hers, shutting out whatever she might say next. This time when he kissed her she let go. She allowed the sensation of his arms around her, holding her up as he dipped her, to override the worry. Birkhoff could feel her return the kiss as she relaxed into his hold. He slowly eased her back up, head bowed as he kissed her.

A hissing noise caused the two to pull apart, their eyes snapping to the source of the sound. On the stove the abandoned pan sizzled from the food that it held. On instinct Alicia moved to tend to the pan before the stir fry she'd been preparing could be ruined. Birkhoff withdrew his hands from her, taking a slight step back as he watched her snatch up a wooden spoon and stir the contents of the pan. His eyes darted over her face, taking in the composed expression she wore as she focused on the slow stirring of the food she was now engrossed in. "That smells good," he said softly, not sure how to go about handling the situation.

"Thanks," Alicia responded easily, turning her face to flash him a small smile. As much as she wanted to behave naturally she knew that the smile hadn't reached her eyes, and she quickly averted her attention back to the stove. All of the control she usually held over her emotions had dissipated and she knew it had everything to do with Birkhoff. The man broke down her defenses, and that was something that had never happened before. The lighthearted attitude she always possessed allowed her to seem free with people, but in reality it also allowed her maintain a safe distance emotionally. She'd never had to read into the smiles she gave people because, well, she smiled at _everyone_.

"Hey," he reached out and placed his hand on her arm, stopping her from stirring the food any longer, "talk to me."

Her eyes flashed over to him, a nervous feeling taking over. The familiar prickle of dread danced in her veins and she couldn't let it go. Birkhoff had kissed her, Birkhoff had kissed her and she had _wanted_ it. The simple revelation ruined _everything_. But staring into his eyes she couldn't hide behind a smile. "Of course," she muttered weakly, eyes flickering away.

His eyes danced over her face, a level of frustration growing as he did. He didn't know what he was supposed to say. This wasn't something he'd seen coming, but now that he'd done it he couldn't very well just leave it be. "Well you haven't slapped me yet," Birkhoff sighed, "I guess there's that."

"I don't know what _to_ do!" she breathed before she could stop herself. The moment the words left her lips she knew she couldn't leave it at that. Seymour was still standing close, and the feel of his eyes on the side of her face was too much to ignore. "I don't even know what just happened!" she turned her eyes on him, shaking her head in exasperation.

The expression on her face said it all, and Birkhoff quickly realized that this was something that needed to be discussed. He'd kissed her on impulse but he knew that it was something he'd been fighting against himself with for a long time. "Alicia-"

"Don't," she groaned, "you don't have to say anything."

"Have it your way," he shrugged, a hint of a smirk already on his lips. In a smooth movement he closed the already small gap between them. His hand quickly found the back of her head, fingers tangling in her hair, and he tipped her head back as he pressed his lips to hers.

She hadn't expected him to kiss her again, and her initial response was to push him away. Her free hand rose up to his chest, preparing to do just that, but it never happened. The moment her hand landed on his chest something happened. She could feel his heart beating, the heat from his chest radiating through the graphic tee he wore. Instead of pushing him away her fingers instead splayed out over his chest, wanting to take as much of his delicious heat as she could. His mouth worked against hers and this time she couldn't relax. Rather, she matched his pace, her own lips accepting the kiss he offered.

Birkhoff's arm slipped around her slender waist, pulling her closer up against him, trapping her hand between their chests. The wooden spoon she'd been holding clattered to the floor, her hand gliding up his arm to rest on his bicep. The pent up tension they'd both been ignoring broke free and the kiss quickly turned passionate. Tongue exploring her mouth Birkhoff took her in, a little growl forming in his throat. He bent forward, shifting his arm down to hook beneath her ass. Without breaking his mouth away from hers he lifted her feet from the ground, stepping forward to set her on the counter beside the stove.

Alicia's legs spread open, making room for Birkhoff to step up between them, bringing their bodies close as he continued his heated assault on her mouth. Moving on their own accord his hands moved, finding their way to her love handles. Her hands were now in his shaggy hair, mouth moving against his. She could feel the heat from his skin as his hands crept under her shirt, meeting the soft skin of the dip in her waist. The impulse to work her hands up his own shirt overtook her, and she started to mover her hands to do just that when she realized what she was doing.

Breathless and dizzy she drew her mouth away from his. Just as she looked up his blue eyes snapped open, burning just as brightly as her own. For a minute she was lost in those eyes. She'd never imagined the passion that was contained in the man, and it seeped into her like some sort of drug. It took her a moment to catch her breath, watching as a hungry smile took over his lips. "Birkhoff," she breathed, coming back down to earth "this is crazy."

Her words only made him chuckle. "I can do crazy," he moved to kiss her again.

She inched her head back, trying to give him a scolding stare. "I'm serious Birkhoff," her words still came out all breathy.

"Seymour," he corrected her, voice a purr.

"Birkhoff, Seymour, Shadow Walker-" Alicia managed to draw up a serious tone, "_whatever_ the name, it doesn't change the fact that this is-"

"-crazy," he finished for her with a little nod. Seeing that she wasn't about to let him kiss her again he let out a slow breath. He knew what it was that she was trying to say. Just a few hours ago he'd been thinking the same thing. And yet he didn't care anymore. He couldn't turn around and take it back now and frankly he didn't want to. So instead he eased his hands out from under her shirt, placing them instead on the counter top on either side of her legs. "It is," he agreed. But he didn't pull away; he remained in front of her, peering steadily into her eyes.

A million panicked thoughts raced through her mind. She didn't even know which one to start with. "We can't be doing this," she whispered instead, mortified at all the ideas of what could happen if they were found out that bounced around inside her head.

"Why?" he questioned, tilting his head to the side. His shaggy hair had slipped out from behind his ear, and a few strays fell against the side of his face. "Let me guess; Division?" he threw the answer out for her.

"Yes Division," she agreed a groan. When he only smiled she couldn't help but think he wasn't taking things seriously. "If they found out-"

"They won't," he cut her off, "I won't let them." When she opened her mouth to object he silenced her with a finger to her lips. The way her eyes narrowed was irresistibly cute and Birkhoff couldn't help but smile. "This is Shadow Walker you're dealing with babe," he assured her, lowering his finger from her mouth, "I _built_ the system that would catch us."

Alicia stared at him, going over the words. From what she knew of Birkhoff it was true; he had built the system. While he wasn't the one who sat around and monitored it, he was aware of what it was that they kept an eye out for. She knew that he wouldn't be standing in her apartment if he wasn't positive that no one would find out he was there. He was a man whose entire life was ruled by exact precision. Every aspect of his work required attention to the details. If he said that he could make it so they were undetectable than it was the truth.

Even knowing this it didn't remove the sense of foreboding in her veins. He could see the hesitation in her eyes. "It's more than that," she let out a heavy sigh. _Why am I the voice of reason here?_ She wondered, shying her eyes away from his.

"What is it then?" Birkhoff pressed for an answer. From the kiss they'd shared he knew that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. There was not a shadow of doubt in his mind that she felt the same invisible pull.

She scrambled for a way to put it into words. _Why,_ her thoughts cried out, _why did I have to meet him now?_ It seemed cruel that after years of living off of couches she met the one man who made her feel alive at _Division_. While she owed her life to the organization, quite literally, it restricted her in ways she'd never experienced before. Alicia didn't have time to answer before her nose picked up on the scent of smoke. "It's burning," she realized out loud.

"What?" Birkhoff asked, the answer confusing him.

"The food," she shot back. Moving quickly she got to her feet, sending him stumbling back a step. Even as she did smoke began to billow up from the food that burnt in the pan. Snatching it from the burner she held the pan in the air for a moment, watching as the grey plumes rose from the food.

He snatched it quickly from her grasp the moment he made sense of the situation. With a few steps he was at the sink, pouring the burning food into it. Birkhoff turned on the water, dousing the ruined dinner. Following his lead she took the empty pan back from him, shutting off the burner as she placed the frying pan away from the heat. For a second they were silent, just staring at each other, before he ran a hand through his tousled hair. "If it's not about getting caught then what is it?" he asked, not allowing himself to be distracted.

She couldn't meet his eyes. Not with the thoughts going through her mind. "It's the job," she admitted quietly. Everything always came back to Division.

"Tell me and we can figure something out," Birkhoff tried at a small smile, "I am a genius after all."

"You know better than anyone what I do on missions."

He furrowed his brow, not understanding why she was worried about that. "Some people have to die," he shrugged, "I know you're just doing your job."

She met his eyes, wondering if he was actually taking this seriously. _He has to know,_ she thought, frustrated that she had to say it out loud. "I don't care about killing people," she groaned, exhaling a frustrated breath. Alicia couldn't help but think how it would be so much simpler if he just took a second and thought about what he was proposing. "I have to _seduce_ people Birkhoff," she threw her hands up in frustration. "One word from Division and I could be sent out on an Operation for months," the words came tumbling out. They'd been the only ones keeping her back from looking too deeply into the bond quickly forming with her former IT instructor. "What then? What happens when I have to shack up with someone as part of my cover?"

The words sunk into Birkhoff's skin and burrowed there, making themselves at home. _She's right_, his conscious pushed at him. He got aggravated every time he had to watch one of the missions where she had to seduce a target. Amanda had pegged her as a clear favorite, and the type of missions she favored often had to do with emotional espionage. The image of the lemon yellow dress flitted into his mind, and he met Alicia's emerald green eyes. All it took was one look at those wide eyes and he knew that he was a goner. It was too late for him, too late not to feel the familiar tug of jealousy at picturing her with anyone else.

He'd known what her position at Division entailed ever since the first day he'd teased her about the yellow dress. It hadn't stopped him yet, and he wouldn't let it stop him now. Like he'd told himself all that time ago: _She's just doing her job._ His job was to watch over and made sure nothing went wrong, but it'd become more than that. All the words he whispered into her earpiece were as much for him as they were for her. "If that happens then I'll be right where I've always been; watching over you and whispering in your ear."

Before she could question his sincerity his hands were on either side of her face, pulling her in for a chaste kiss. He pressed his lips to hers, driving the point home, before pulling back to look into her startle eyes. "Nothing is going to change when it comes to work," he assured her. "If anything it'll make things better," he gave her a small smile. "When the bastards have their paws on you I get to be smug knowing you'd rather be back home with me."

The way his navy eyes gazed into hers pierced deep into her soul. It was crazy, it was _insanity_, but it was something that she desperately wanted. She'd never had a home, and she most certainly never had anyone to come home to. Now, looking at Birkhoff before her, she felt like she just may have found it. He was right after all; he'd always been watching over her. While they hadn't admitted it up to this point, neither could deny that they'd always been thinking about the other during Operations. "I've never been in a relationship," she admitted weakly, her final line of defense.

"Never?" he breathed, slightly taken aback by this information.

Alicia gave a little embarrassed nod. The incredulity in his voice wasn't lost on her. "I was never in one place long enough," she breathed, "so I just avoided them altogether."

"There's no way a stone cold fox like you could be a virgin," Seymour couldn't refrain from making the remark.

Her cheeks picked up a lovely red hue. "I never said I was," she huffed, reaching up to ease his hands away from her face. "I've just never been in a relationship," she tucked a rouge strand of hair behind her ear as her eyes flickered away from his in embarrassment. "I wouldn't know where to start."

If anyone had told him that this young woman was a lethal government assassin, and he didn't know better, he would have called them crazy. The look on her face was priceless, and he felt no need to resist the urge to take her into his arms. She quickly pursed her lips in frustration when he smiled a wolfish grin down at her, and he had to refrain from chuckling at the sight. Alicia was simply adorable and he realized that while she controlled her emotions so well at Division around him that guard was lowered completely. He'd do anything for one of those smiles of hers he loved so much and he knew just how to get one. "How about we start by ordering some food," he teased, "I'm starving."


	7. Target Down

Slipping her arms into the black jacket, Alicia smiled. "I don't think I'll ever get used to this," she admitted, her eyes flickering over to the female Operative beside her.

"Which part?" the Operative asked, her finely plucked eyebrows rising.

"This whole co-ed changing experience," she laughed. Her green eyes flittered over the four men who were on the opposite side of the room, all in the process of gearing up as well.

The woman gave a nod of agreement. "You get used to it," she shrugged on her jacket. After zipping it up she met Alicia's eyes. "Other than the Op's where you need to dress for a cover," she informed her, "you'll be down here with the rest of the team."

"Well that makes sense: when you're dressed to be undressed you get privacy," Alicia couldn't help but smile, finding it a bit humorous. While the woman refrained from laughing, she did share in the smile. "You'd think they could manage locker rooms," she shrugged, realizing for the first time just how weird it was. With everything that Division had she couldn't help but find it odd that they made everyone change together. _Not like there's anything to see,_ she realized, thinking to the underclothes she wore. The issued boy short underwear and sports bra weren't exactly lingerie grade.

"You could always bring it up to Amanda," one of the male Agents interrupted, "I'm sure she'd take it into consideration for _you_." His brown eyes were locked on Alicia, words directed towards her as well. The tone of his voice was clearly patronizing, and she picked up on it instantly. One look at the man who had approached, already fully geared up, and she was reminded of Samson. He had the same superior attitude that Samson always held when he would harass Alicia about Birkhoff.

His attitude only amused Alicia. "I just might," she flashed him a bright smile, turning to stride from the room. She wasn't about to let the petty words get to her. It was no secret that Amanda was fond of her. The fact she was being sent on yet _another_ mission was proof of that. While Alicia had managed to get two weeks away from Division she found herself being called in once more.

An Operative had dropped out of the mission, the reasons behind it unknown to Alicia, and she had been assigned as the replacement. It was odd considering the Operation had nothing to do with the skill set that Amanda was so fond of. No, this time she wouldn't have to play a character. She was merely a part of the field team and didn't have any significant part to play. There was no reason that another Agent shouldn't have been able to fill the spot. Yet here she was, strolling down into the parking garage to take her place in the back of a black SUV. In the matter of a few hours she'd be out on the field and part of a strike team sanctioned to take out a dirty corporation.

It felt weird to be a part of a Team. The handful of missions she'd been a part of she always played a part that made use of her looks and ability to act convincingly. The mission in question had nothing to do with that, and as she strode towards the awaiting SUV she wondered how she'd gotten drafted for it. _With all of the Agents that Division has at their disposal,_ she asked herself, _why me?_ It wasn't that she didn't like being put to use. She'd happily do whatever Division asked of her, eagerly earning the second chance they had given her. However, like the other Agents climbing into the van, she wasn't sure what circumstances led to her being activated so often.

Resting her firearm across her lap, she scanned the others that comprised of her Team. The leader for this mission was Agent Monroe, one she'd never before had an opportunity to work with, and he seemed to be the only one impartial to her involvement. As everyone got settled into the van she tried to get comfortable on the bench seats that had her facing the three men who clearly didn't think she was up to the task. Monroe had slipped in between her and the female operative, and she felt an unusual sensation of confinement. It was going to be a long drive to the drop point.

Worse yet was Birkhoff wasn't a part of this mission. When she had been called in she didn't have time to contact him to let him know. She figured she wouldn't have to; he was always in Operations after all. But when she'd showed up for briefing he was nowhere to be seen. The station he usually occupied was empty and she didn't have an opportunity to look into where he was. Even more unusual was the absence of Michael and Amanda. Briefing had been handled by Agent Monroe and after receiving all of the intel she'd filed straight down to sublevel eight to get geared up.

Now she sat in the moving vehicle, listening to the men make small talk. They'd shoot glances her way on occasion, voices lowered as they whispered to each other. Clearly these Agents had worked together before. The ground teams were always well oiled units; it was a necessary for the role that they played. Being a new addition, with no prior experience as part of a strike team, made her the odd man out. Pair that with her innocent face and title as _Amanda's Pet _and she could feel none of them were taking her seriously.

They didn't doubt she could kill, they were all up to date on the four successful kill missions she'd completed, and they didn't doubt in her training. Rather it was the fact that she had proven that she wasn't expendable. If anything went wrong on this mission and she was injured, or worse- killed, then it was their heads on the line. Amanda wouldn't be happy with whoever was responsible for her rising star being hindered. Having Alicia as a member of their Strike Team only added a new dimension to everything they had to worry about.

She couldn't blame her fellow Agents for their apprehension towards working with her. When out on the field you couldn't be worrying about the man on your side. You had to focus solely on the task at hand, trusting them to coordinate with you. A strike team had to work as a unit, and that was hard to accomplish when a piece of you was off thinking about another member. It was the entire reason relationships weren't allowed in Division after all.

When the SUV came to a stop Alicia knew it was time to prove herself yet again. It seemed like that was all she was doing on these missions. Every one had some new aspect she found herself having to deal with. This one would be no different. So, when the back door opened to reveal Roan, she wasn't entirely surprised.

Back in Operations the same couldn't be said for Michael. "What is Roan doing there?" he asked, eyes flittering over to Percy.

While Percy felt the man's eyes on him, he was preoccupied with the image on the screen. "His services are needed," he informed him. With narrow eyes he took in the large screen that overlooked all of Operations. It displayed the strike team as they climbed from the transport vehicle, breaking up into three separate groups.

Michael watched as Roan and Alicia were paired together, hanging back as the other two groups disappeared into the trees. They waited on the edge of the large estate, standing beside each other without a word between them. The silence didn't strike him as odd but rather the combination of Agents. "Is there new intel on the mission?" he asked, wondering over the presence of the Cleaner. When he'd been briefed upon arriving in Operations the mission details didn't call for anything other than a Strike Team. "It was my understanding that this was a simple elimination job."

Percy turned his piercing blue eyes to his right hand man. Taking in his curious expression he was left with a feeling of satisfaction. "Perceptive as ever Michael," he smiled coolly. "Think of this as an opportunity," his eyes returned to the screen.

"An opportunity for what?"

"To kill two birds with one stone," he answered dismissively. Before Michael could question him further he turned his attention to the man behind the computer at his side. "Pull up communications," he ordered, "I want audio on the team frequency."

The man gave a quick nod, typing the command onto his keyboard. He patched the line through to the Operation's speakers and soon the sound of the Strike Team was filling the Command Center. "Perimeter guards down," one of the members were confirming, "approaching the entrance."

"Doors are now unlocked," a techie informed the team, his voice amplified over the speakers.

Michael watched, lips pursed as he observed Alicia and Roan start towards the large estate. With their path cleared by the two teams they were able to move quickly through the trees. "Amanda had told me that Alicia was on standby," he saw no reason not to express his concerns with the mission. His instincts told him that there was something about this Operation that was fishy, and he wasn't going to stop until he knew what it was. "Why was she activated without my knowledge?" Michael turned his attention to Percy.

"Not everything goes through you Michael," he replied in an offhand manner, "sometimes decisions must be made when the occasion arises. This was one of those instances."

Down on the ground Alicia had no idea that Percy was overseeing the entire thing, Michael at his side. She followed along with Roan, weapons at the ready as they made their way up to the large white building. Passing by the body of a downed guard she could hear a volley of shots being exchanged just up ahead. "Do we have eyes on the balcony?" Monroe chirped through her headset.

"Negative, cameras are down," a voice responded.

"Team C, progress?" Monroe requested, the sound of shots in the background even as he asked it.

Roan came to a stop beside the open door, Alicia taking her post on the opposite side. "In position at entrance A," his cool voice came, eyes meeting Alicia's as they stood with their weapons at the ready.

"Hold your position," he informed them, "taking fire from the balcony." A few seconds passed, ticking by slowly as Alicia waited for the green light. The original plans for the mission had been adjusted only slightly upon Roan's arrival. Instead of being part of the suppression team that was on the other side of door they waited near, she had found herself playing a different role. When the words, "Ten second window," came, she knew exactly what it meant.

Moving quickly she filed through the door, weapon drawn and finger ready at the trigger. She made a quick sweep of the grand entrance, covering the left side as Roan mirrored her actions for the right. They moved swiftly, passing through the doorway that lead to the cocktail room. Ducking behind an overturned coach she joined Monroe just as a volley of shots flew past her. Roan followed suit, joining the other two agents behind the bar, expertly rolling to avoid being hit.

Michael could feel the tension all the way back in Operations as he listened in on the mission. Video feeds had been cut, and the moment the visual had been lost Percy had turned vicious. "Where are my cameras?" he snapped, pointing towards the screen overhead. All that it contained was a sky view of the building, small green dots marking off the positions of the agents.

"Working on it," a techie responded, his fingers flying.

"Well work faster," he growled, "I want a visual and I want it _now_."

For a moment Michael watched the man working on the problem at hand when realization dawned on him. "Where is Birkhoff?" he questioned.

"His presence was not needed," Percy answered without hesitation, voice clipped.

As he heard the sound of more gun shots, Michael could hardly control his frustration at the situation. He hadn't been informed that one of his Agents was being activated which was reason enough to be suspicious, but now there was more to it than that. _Where is Amanda?_ He wondered, eyes scanning over the Command Center for the hundredth time. _And Birkhoff,_ his eyes narrowed on the techie who was still working on gaining control of the cameras, _why isn't he here?_ Every aspect of the Operation that was being carried out made warnings go off in his head. For the first time he questioned Percy's presence in the room. He hadn't thought about it until that moment, but it was definitely odd that the man was overseeing the mission personally.

He took in the man with a quick sweep of his eyes. The irritated look on his face as he listened in on the mission, eyes locked intensely on the screen as though anticipating at any second the picture would be back, revealed that he was invested in the Operation at hand. Unable to hold back any longer Michael made the decision to press for answers. "What are you not telling me about this Operation?" he asked his boss without hesitation.

Percy had known that it was only a matter of time before he decided to question further. In fact, he'd been counting on it. "Don't think of it as just an Operation," he gave the younger man a dry smile, "consider it more of a _test_."

"Who's being tested?" he asked, meeting the blue eyes that were now focused on him. One look at the man and he knew the answer. "Alicia," he breathed, eyes flickering back to the screen. While the cameras remained unavailable, the dot that indicated her tracker was on the move still remained. It was coupled with Roan's and he tracked their progress on the screen with his eyes. The other teams moved in groups of three, branching out in different directions.

"Don't look so worried Michael," he gave a low chuckle. "If she's as good as Amanda seems to believe," Percy tilted his head slightly, observing Michael as he spoke, "then she'll pass this little field mission."

Michael knew better that to believe that was the whole truth, and so he didn't back down. "Shouldn't Amanda be present?" he questioned the man. He never thought the day would come where he desired her presence. It had nothing to do with wanting to see the woman and everything to do with Alicia being out on the field. She was _his_ Agent, and he should have been involved in the organizing of this test- whatever it was. The only way he could have accepted being left out would have been if Amanda played a hand in it. It was no secret that she'd pegged Alicia as a favorite and at least _she_ would have some reserves about sending her out on a dangerous mission. Percy, on the other hand, held no qualms about potentially losing the Agent.

"She'll be informed of the results," he dismissed the question with an easy smile. "Her presence would only interfere with the test," Percy informed him, eyes returning to the screen.

"What are we testing her on?" Michael inquired, genuinely concerned now. His low, gravelly voice gave nothing away. If anything it sounded interested and easy as he refrained from letting the worry show.

"A pretty face can only go so far Michael," he gave his head a small shake. While Percy was pleased with the success rate that Alicia held, he wasn't yet convinced she held the potential Amanda claimed she did.

"Alicia has proven she has no reservations about killing," he defended the Agent. He'd spent countless hours training the girl and would have never approved of her being activated so early if he felt it premature. "Not to mention she held up fine when working with Birkhoff," he pointed out. "Amanda isn't the only one who approves of her use," he continued on, "we all signed off on her training, you saw to that."

Percy turned his eyes on Michael, giving him an amused look. "If you are so certain in her abilities why try to shield her from a simple test?" he asked, all the more certain that this Operation was entirely necessary. Not giving Michael a chance to answer, he shot a satisfied smile his way. "It's that innocent face of hers that has you worried for her, and that's not something I can overlook. I expected this of Birkhoff," he sighed, "but I'd rather hoped you would have seen past it."

"Birkhoff?" Michael asked, curious once more why the computer nerd wasn't present.

"Yes," he nodded deftly, "Birkhoff. Alicia has managed to break him from his little mourning period over Nikita. He's been performing much better ever since she was activated. Before I can make use of that I need to know that she is devoted to Division." He turned his eyes to the screen, once more observing the progress of the Agents on the screen. "If she passes this little assessment then I will personally grant her my approval," he added casually. For a moment the sound of the field Agents once more filled Operations. The moment they finished relaying information to each other Percy turned his eyes to the techie at the computer beside him. "Speaking of Birkhoff," his voice was suddenly sour, "_he_ would have had the cameras up by now."

"I've almost-" the man started to say, stopping himself as the image of the Agents popped back up on the control screen. The moment he did he sighed in relief, "They're up," he stated the obvious.

Both Percy and Michael were momentarily consumed with watching the figures on the monitor. The camera angles showed the six field Agents on the screen as they engaged in a volley on the ground floor. Alicia and Roan were nowhere to be seen, and this didn't escape Percy. "I want a visual on Roan _now_," he demanded roughly. The request was quickly granted and the image of the two took precedence on the screen.

Alicia was working her way down the hallway a step behind Roan as they made their way to the primary target. "Retire your weapon," he instructed, slipping his gun into his holster.

She followed suit just as the sound of the techie rang out over their earpiece. "You're nearing the target. Prepare for close quarters combat. From here on out it is imperative you do not broadcast your position."

If it wasn't for the fact that she knew the cameras were on her, having been informed they were once more active, she would have rolled her eyes. Roan had briefed her on their role in the mission once he'd been added to the team and she was well aware what the mission now entailed. While the ground teams provided a distraction, currently in a heated exchange two floors below, it was their job to proceed to the main target. The guards would all be taken care of in due time, but the head of the operation had to be eliminated before he had the chance to make an escape. While she doubted that was possible, what with six highly trained gunmen covering all the exits on the ground floor, she wasn't going to question orders.

While Roan had retired his sidearm, he now donned a pair of double edged blades in his hands. Alicia didn't have the same caliber of weapon, but she did unsheathe her knife. With it at the ready in her hand she followed him down the hall, on high alert as they made their way down the narrow corridor. The current level they were on didn't have many camera angles available for Operations to observe from, but they'd been able to confirm there were only five people present on the floor their primary target included.

Just as they rounded a corner they came face to face with one of the men. Before he could get a shot off Alicia was on him, knocking the weapon away with a well placed kick. He launched into action just as quickly, going into a quick succession of attacks. She dodged his fists, blocking a well aimed swing towards her head before it could connect. In the narrow hallway her size was to her advantage, and she slipped through his legs, popping up behind him with speed. In a heartbeat her knife found its target; burying deep into the back of the man's neck.

As he crumpled forward Roan caught him, giving her just enough time to yank the knife free. Blood glistened on the ceramic blade and she stared at it for a moment before wiping it off on the leg of her pants without a second thought. The Cleaner set the body aside, Alicia scanning the hallway with blade at the ready as she remained vigilant in case of another attacker. It only took a moment for Roan to have the dead guard out of the way and he met her eyes, giving a small nod.

She hung back, keeping a watch on the hallway they'd just come down as Roan took the lead. He led them down the hall, following the path that had been mapped out for them. In the headset the sound of the other Agents continued to ring out. They were playing their part perfectly and had managed to get all of the remaining guards' attention. When Roan and Alicia had slipped up the stairs it had been during the only break in fire, and no more lulls in combat had occurred so far.

Just as they caught sight of the door that the target was behind the remaining three guards all appeared at once. They had the misfortune of turning the corner straight into the pair of Division Agents, having little time to react. Like a well oiled machine Roan and Alicia acted in unison, removing the threat of the firearms from the equation. Before they had the chance to take any of the men down a warning sounded in their earpieces. "Someone alerted the guards," Monroe's hurried voice came, "they are headed to your floor."

As if that wasn't enough, another voice soon followed. "Target has called for an evac," a techie informed them. "You only have a few minutes before we lose him," his words were rushed, "take him out now."

Alicia narrowly dodged a knife that one of the guards had pulled just as the information stopped flooding in. He swiped at her again, this time cutting through her jacket and shirt, barely grazing over her skin. She met his attack with one of her own, engaging him in combat and ignoring the burning pain on her torso. Roan had his hands full with the other two, in a heated back and forth with the men. Just as he managed to slice into the stomach of one of the men he met Alicia's eyes. "Go," he ordered.

Back in Operations Percy couldn't believe his ears. "What is he doing?" he asked no one in particular, taking a step towards the screen that showed the two Agents. Roan had engaged the third man without any hesitation. Alicia tried to even the odds, her knife connecting with one of the man's legs as she dropped down to avoid the flurry of hands and knives as the men all focused their attacks on Roan.

She sprung to her feet, dodging a blade as she fell back from the fight. Without a second thought she took off down the hall, leaving Roan to handle the three guards. She stripped off the torn jacket, tossing it to the side as she went. Michael could hardly believe his eyes, a similar level of disbelief at Roan's behavior. He knew that the Cleaner would have no problem with the three to one odds he faced, that didn't concern him. What was so unexpected was that he had taken on the man that Alicia had been engaging. It would have been easy for him to take out one of the men and leave Alicia to handle the other two. Instead he'd taken on the responsibilities of the guards and entrusted Alicia with the task of stopping the target from slipping away.

Alicia, on the other hand, didn't share in the shock that coated Operations. She'd proven to Roan that she was fast, and he was well aware that her size gave her an advantage when it came to slipping away. Though she was well trained and could have taken out the man she had been in combat with, it would have taken longer to kill him then it did for her to slip away. What no one in the Command Center knew was that she'd proven to the Cleaner she was qualified for the mission during the time the cameras had been down. The pair worked surprisingly well together. His precision paired with her nimbleness were deadly to everyone they'd run across.

There was no doubt in her mind that he'd made the right decision even as she heard the chatter over her earpiece as the people back in Operations panicked. From what she picked up on Roan had managed to take out two of the three men before the guards they'd been warned were approaching closed in on his position. That meant there was even less time for her to get to the target than before. While he must know by now that the floor he was on had been breached, he had no way of knowing just how close the Operatives had gotten. Hand to hand combat had ensured a silent approach, the sounds being undetectable over the noise of gunshots that rang out from below, but once the other guards happened onto Roan they would surely open fire.

Drawing her gun, she pulled open the heavy door, going through it without missing a beat. She started the scan on the room, but only had a second before the gun was knocked from her hand, the door she'd just come through slamming closed behind her. Responding off of instinct she dropped to the ground, rolling quickly away. Her eyes had locked on the man who stood near the door before she'd even gotten to her feet.

His eyes widened in surprise at the sight of her, quickly taking in the tear in her shirt that exposed her stomach and the wound she'd received. "They sent a girl?" he asked, awestruck at the sight of her.

Alicia straightened up, unable to move from her spot across the room as she eyed him up. Her gun lay near his feet, while he had a gun already directed at her. _He hasn't fired yet,_ her mind called out. It took a second to process what this meant, when she realized how she must look. With her innocent face and small figure she didn't appear to be much of a threat. Especially not when the tight white tank top she wore was split, the cut on her toned stomach glistening with blood. While it was merely a scratch it was impossible to tell that with how the small amount of blood had smeared when she'd torn off her jacket. Using her disheveled appearance to her advantage she nodded weakly. "Air ducts are a tight squeeze," she lied in a soft voice.

The man stared at her for a long moment, a silence falling over the room. In her ear, however, there was a steady stream of chatter. She couldn't make sense of it, every iota of her attention being used to assess the situation. _I'm unarmed,_ she took inventory, _injured and alone._ Just as she tried to come up with a plan, the man's small chuckle gave her hope. "So that's how you got past my guards," he said easily, reaching back with his free hand to lock the thick door. Gun still pointed at her he did a quick scan of her once more, taking inventory on her appearance. "But not without a little trouble I see," he observed, eyes lingering on her stomach.

Playing the part her mind had just assigned her, she allowed her hand to find its way to the cut on her stomach. Wincing, she set her hand over the wound, playing up the amount of pain it was actually giving her. "Nothing I can't handle," Alicia's soft voice filled the room. Her tone was determined yet shaken, almost defiant.

Once more the man laughed, clearly buying into her act of weakness. "Is that so?" he asked, observing her every move closely. When her lip trembled the slightest bit, her eyes glistening in tears that she refused to let show, he ate it all up.

"I'm fine," she growled, drawing her hand away from the wound as she narrowed her eyes on him. One thing that Amanda had taught her was never to play things up too much. Defiance can be crucial to a convincing play of weakness. Reaching up she wiped the blood off on the breast of her shirt, staining the white material. "You're the one that should be worried," she added, gritting her teeth.

For once she was glad that the outfit Division had provided was so common. When she saw his eyes taking in the black pants she wore paired with the ripped white shirt she knew what he was looking for. "Who do you work for?" he asked, as she knew he was about to.

Running over all the intel she had on the target that stood before her she worked out a story in the blink of an eye. The weapons corporation was beyond dirty. Using shell companies they stockpiled money that they made through the illegal sale of firearms. But, worse than that, the firearms that weren't sold to legitimate dealers were instead sold to specific gangs. By providing warring gangs with weapons the company had ensured that both sides would always need more firepower. "I work for no one," she stated proudly, raising her head high.

"Oh," he questioned, taking the bait, "so you and your friends are just here for fun?"

"They aren't my friends, they're my _family!_" she responded, glaring at him. _Time's running out_, her mind reminded her as the voices in her ear rambled off information about the approaching evac he had coming. "You wouldn't know anything about that," she hissed, allowing her voice to come out raw and emotional, "because all you care about is money!"

His gun lowered the slightest bit, taking in this information. Alicia found it odd that gunshots hadn't sounded from the hallway yet, but she quickly credited it to Roan. The fact the only gunfire that sounded came in short bursts from two floors down worked well with her story. As long as it stayed that way she'd be safe. He had no idea his guards from this floor were dead, and for all he knew she'd barely managed to slip past one on her way to the door. "Some family, sending you up here all alone," he mused, trying to dishearten her.

"They didn't send me," she choked out, "I volunteered!" At her sides her hands balled into fists, trembling slightly as she stared him down. "Your guns killed my brother," Alicia fed him another lie, "and I'm going to kill _you_."

The man laughed at this, his gun lowering completely as he looked at her. Clearly her show of hurt and outrage had him amused. She couldn't really blame him. With her innocent face, small size, disheveled appearance and current act of weakness she didn't seem much of a threat to the man. "How do you plan to do that?" he asked with a small smile. "You don't have a gun anymore," he motioned with his gun towards the one he'd knocked away from her earlier.

"I don't need a gun," she shot back, "I'll kill you with my own two hands if I have to!"

"So much anger for such a young girl," he shook his head, a small sad smile on his lips.

"I'm not a girl," she huffed out, sticking her chin in the air, "I am a _woman_," Alicia declared. When he laughed, as she knew he would, she raised her fists, making sure to make them look like she was only trained in street fighting. "If you think it's so funny then fight me! I'll kill you, you'll see," she felt a little foolish at how weak she sounded, knowing that all the Agents could hear her every word, "I can take you!"

Her target hesitated a moment before a smile played across his lips. "That wouldn't be very fair," he chimed out, enjoying her anger, "you're hurt."

"You're scared," she accused him. In a risky step she took a few steps towards him. When he didn't raise his gun she knew she had him. "You hide behind your guns because that's all you have."

Those words were all she needed to seal the deal. Seeing her as nothing but a weak desperate girl he set aside his gun, a smile on his face. He raised his hands, motioning for her to come forward. "Come on, let's see what you have," he taunted her.

She didn't need to be told twice. Closing the ground between them, wincing as she went to sell the act, she threw a few wild uncoordinated punches. He dodged them easily, laughing even as he did so. Falling back a few steps, chest heaving, her eyes glowed with anger. "Fight back!" she demanded. "You killed my brother, and now I'm going to kill you."

The man took the bait, coming forward with a little smile as he threw a lazy punch her way. "You've got spirit," he said as she clumsily avoided the fist, "I'll give you that." Once more she fell back a few steps, keeping her eyes locked on his and her fists up.

This time when he stepped forward and gave a little swing she switched off acting mode and jumped into action. Without any restraint she assaulted him with a quick combination of moves. It came as a surprise when he dodged over half of them, falling into tune with her pace instantly. In under a second the exchange turned from the playact she'd been carrying on to legitimate hand to hand combat. The two fell into rhythm with each other, and it was almost as though they were dancing as they battled it out. When she aimed a kick at his face and he dodged it perfectly, taking a step back, they were left staring at each other. _I know that move!_ Her mind screamed out, eyes widening.

At the same time their lips formed the stunned words; "You're _Division?_" She wasn't sure who was more shocked, her or him. For a second the air seemed to be full of electricity as realization dawned on her: _That's why Roan was here!_ The main target for today's mission was a _Division Agent_. It was a revelation she hadn't expected, not at all.

Back in Operations Michael was just as shocked. "He's Division?" he demanded, eyes snapping to Percy angrily.

He didn't answer. He was too busy barking out orders. "Get me eyes on Roan!" he demanded. "I want the situation contained _now!_ He can't make that evac!"

Michael opened his mouth to express his rage at the situation, only for the words to fall flat. He watched as the impossible happened, all of Operations going into a stunned silence. Alicia had managed to reach her knife during the spar that had just occurred, unbeknownst to anyone. No longer sheathed in her holster, the knife was instead flashing through the air. Awe at the resulting scene was instantaneous as she darted at the man. Dodging the first swipe of her blade, he didn't have time to react as she dropped down to her knees, digging the blade deep into his stomach. With a growl she pushed it in up to the hilt, face tilted up to take in the man who stared down at her.

Alicia drew her hand from the blade, moving them instead to grab onto his ankles and give a pull. Even as the man's hand snapped to the handle of the blade in his gut, he fell backwards towards the ground. In a heartbeat Alicia was on him, straddling his waist. His hands were trapped beneath her as he tried to remove the blade, and she squeezed his torso with all the power her legs muscles could exert to hold them trapped. There wasn't a thought in her mind as she latched her hands onto his throat and crushed his airways with all of the strength she could muster. The only sound she heard was the thudding of her heart in her chest as she snapped her eyes closed, unable to bear seeing the last of the life drain away from him. She felt him go limp beneath her and she eased herself off of him, refusing to glance down at the body even as she withdrew her knife.

"Target down," her voice rang out over Operations.

Percy didn't hesitate to stride forward, yanking the headset away from the nearest techie. "Unlock the door and stay put," he demanded. As she strode forward to do as told, her face was calm and controlled. "Roan," he snapped into the headset, "where are you?"

The question was unneeded however, for the moment the door was unlocked Roan was pushing it open. "Situation under control," he confirmed coolly, giving Alicia a small nod of approval before striding past her to check on the body.

Michael spun, facing Percy with outrage. "That was your test? To send her in after an _Agent?!" _ he couldn't contain his anger.

"A_ rogue_ Agent," Percy surprisingly defended himself.

"She wasn't trained as a Cleaner!" he exclaimed. He knew Percy always pushed the envelope but this, _this_ was beyond his belief. "Not only that but she wasn't even _aware_ he was an Agent. Alicia's barely been activated a month and you sent her in against a seasoned Agent without proper intel and all as what, some kind of test?" he growled. "Since when do we do that Percy?"

He sighed, shaking his head as he let the young man's anger roll off of him. He'd expected Michael to get upset. The man connected with the recruits when he was training them, it was part of what made him so good at his job. "We don't Michael," he answered. Before the man could ask what that meant he silenced him with a piercing look. "The test was to see her reaction to Roan removing an Agent who had lost sight of his mission," Percy calmly informed him before he could lose his temper even further, "that was all." He turned his icy blue eyes to the screen, taking in Alicia on the screen. "I wanted to see how devoted she was to the cause," his voice gave nothing away, "and give her an example of what happens to those who go astray."

This wasn't justification, not to Michael. "And," he icily demanded to know, "are you _satisfied_?"

A smirk crept onto Percy's face as he took in the young woman on the screen. "Very."


	8. Amanda's Pet

While Alicia could hear the voices of the medical staff that were in the room, she didn't pay attention to the words themselves. Her mind was elsewhere as she stared down at the red line that ran in a diagonal from one hip bone and up towards her ribs. The wound hadn't been a deep one, she'd known that when she'd received it, but it had opened up during her little spar with the Agent. At the time she hadn't paid any attention to the injury, jumping into action without a second thought. Now, as she stared at the little butterfly bandages positioned in the middle of the line, she went over all the ways she could have avoided this.

_I should have been more careful,_ she chastised herself. It wasn't the wound that was bothering her. No; she knew it would heal. Division had an advanced medical team and they'd patched her up in no time. In a week or two there wouldn't even be a scar. A few applications of the cream they'd given her paired with the handful of butterfly bandages and it would be as though it had never happened. As long as she followed the directions they gave her then it would heal on its own. Like the smooth skin where her tracker had been implanted, there'd soon be no evidence left. Scars would be difficult to explain the next time she played a part where she needed to show some skin.

With everything taken care of she didn't have to worry about that now. Instead, she was going over the mission in her mind again and again. No matter how many times she ran over it she couldn't refrain from the disappointment that coursed through her veins. _I let him get the drop on me,_ her thoughts growled, _I was trained better than that!_

While she had completed the Operation and made it through debriefing with nothing but positive remarks on her performance, she didn't feel the same level of accomplishment. No, she felt downright awful as she went over the final kill in her mind. Her fingers curled involuntarily, hands balling into fists as her eyes fluttered closed. With perfect clarity she recalled the sensation of driving the knife into his gut, her eyes turned up as she met the man's eyes. Only she hadn't seen dirty arms dealer Louis Claint; a Division Agent who'd taken things into his own hands. No, she'd seen her uncle. She'd pictured his face as she kneeled before the man.

When she had pulled him towards the ground it wasn't to gain the upper hand. The reasons behind it had nothing to do with completing the mission and everything to do with her own rage. All of her training told her to withdraw the blade and finish him off with a swift plunge into the heart. Not exactly a clean kill, but it would do the job. But she'd been lost in the moment and every thought of the Operation she was on dissipated. Instead she was filled with blind wrath. She allowed the man to reach for the knife only to pin his arms with her legs, allowing him the hope of retrieving the blade only to deny it. Her hands wound around his neck on impulse and as she began to put pressure she stared down into the eyes of the man she loathed so much.

Pleasure had spiked in her mind and the urge to laugh had pulled her from her delusions. Her eyes snapped closed not so she wouldn't see the man die, but so she wouldn't be able to feel the elation at the final moment. It didn't matter at that instant what he was; Agent or not he was her uncle in her eyes. But the cameras were watching and she couldn't lose her mind in front of Operations, in front of _Percy_. His voice had barked out through her headset before she'd even made a move for the kill, and repeating it in her mind brought her back down to planet earth.

Disappointed in herself at almost losing it, she hadn't been able to bear looking at the Agent she'd just Cancelled. She obeyed orders and allowed Roan into the room. While his grey eyes remained as expressionless as always behind his glasses, he had given her a nod of approval. That simple action had made it possible to set aside her anger at the momentary lapse in sanity. Though he would have been able to manage a much cleaner kill, she had no doubts about that, he didn't appear the slightest bit put off by the mess she'd left for him. All that seemed to matter to the man was that she'd succeeded in completing what could have only been his mission. It dawned on her that when he'd given her the simple command of _Go_ he'd entrusted her with the task. Unlike with the Strike Team she had the approval of Division's best Cleaner.

Still, when he showed up in medical it came as a shock. While she was still in her Division issued black pants and sports bra, he'd had the opportunity to change into his usual dark ensemble. Roan took in the injury, making a quick assessment of the damage with cool eyes. "It's a clean wound," he commented, stepping up to the medical chair she sat in.

The two members of the medical staff that had been chattering away just a moment ago had gone silent. Alicia noted they had averted their eyes to the medical instruments they were in the process of sanitizing. She could feel their apprehension in the air like smog but didn't share in it. Instead she smiled openly at the man. "Just a scratch," she acknowledged with a nod, "nothing impressive."

Behind his thick framed glasses his grey eyes didn't disapprove of her emotion like they would have done with anyone else. He accepted her smile, not going as far as returning it. "You preformed well," he voiced his approval.

"Careful," she teased, "if you talk like that they may start to say we're a couple." Her words were instantly followed by loud clattering sound from the direction of the medics. Her eyes flickered over towards them, watching as the man picked up the tool he'd been holding. Alicia rolled her eyes, shaking her head in amusement at the reaction of the man. One look at the two medics and she was surprised they hadn't stopped breathing out of shock.

When her eyes flickered back to Roan she could swear she saw a slight sheen of amusement in his eyes. "When cleaning your kill," he said calmly, extending forth his hand, "I found this."

Her ceramic knife rested in his palm as he offered it forth. "My knife," she breathed, deftly plucking it from his hand. _I thought it was gone for good,_ Alicia smiled at the blade in her hand. When she'd initially realized she'd left it in the body she'd felt a sense of lost. Guns were fine and dandy, but she'd take a knife over one any given day. Unlike the mission they'd just completed, she usually didn't have the issue of a target being out of cutting range. The knife gave her a sense of security, and she turned her eyes back up to Roan. "Thank you," she voiced her gratitude.

"It's not Division issued," he noted, eyeing the way she handled the blade in an almost loving manner. It was clear to see she valued the weapon.

"My first purchase as an Agent," she admitted openly. There was no rule against the use of weapons that came from outside sources. "I didn't like the field knives," Alicia explained, "so I went and got my own."

Roan clearly understood for he gave a small nod. "You prefer a blade," he keenly observed. She didn't need to tell him he was right, because they both knew that he was. Instead he looked once more to the knife that was back in her possession. He was a man who understood perfectly the appeal of a sharp cutting edge. "Ceramic;" he commented, "good for avoiding metal detectors. Though the quality of this one leaves something to be desired."

"It was the best I could find," she sighed, knowing once more he spoke the truth. It was a good knife, and she was ecstatic to have it returned to her, but it could have been better.

"You'll be provided with a better one," Roan informed her.

She couldn't linger on this fact, for the sound of heels clicking to a stop caused the pair to turn their attention to the doorway. Amanda greeted them with her cool smile, tilting her head slightly as she took them in. "Oh good," she motioned lazily with her hand, shooing the medical members from the room, "just the two I wanted to see." With her burgundy lips still turned up in a smile she waited until they'd left before continuing. "I've just come from Percy's office," Amanda's eyes flickered to Alicia, "and I was given some rather interesting news. Am I to believe you removed an Agent?"

It took Alicia a moment to understand the question. _She didn't know_ she realized after meeting the woman's eyes, _no wonder she wasn't there for briefing._ It became clear that Percy had been the one who had assigned Alicia the Operation. Everything began to make sense, and she gave a small nod. "The primary objective was a rogue Agent," she confirmed.

"Roan was present, but _you_ made the kill?" she pressed forward, eyes moving over to Roan.

"He was otherwise engaged," Alicia explained. From the line of questioning it was clear that Amanda hadn't seen the footage. If she had then she wouldn't need to be asking. While she didn't know why Percy hadn't allowed her to see the video from the mission, she decided not to question it.

For a long moment she was quiet as she stared at the Cleaner. Alicia had the creeping sensation that the man knew something that she didn't, for the silent stand off the two appeared to be in was unprovoked. "You're wanted in Percy's office," Amanda finally returned her eyes to Alicia, dismissing Roan without another look his way. The moment the man was gone she eased the door closed and strode towards the young woman. "Does it hurt?" she asked sweetly, stopping before the medical chair Alicia was seated in.

"Only a little," she admitted honestly. It wasn't a deep cut and had only split the skin, resulting in a constant dull burn. While the sensation wasn't pleasant it was nothing that wouldn't go away. Compared to how it had stung during debriefing the pain now was nothing. Not wanting to have a separate debriefing from the rest of the team, she'd insisted the wound could wait until after it was completed to be treated.

"I was told you refused pain medication," Amanda informed her, that smile still in place.

It was true, and so Alicia nodded. "I've never been a fan of taking medication," she admitted, "I prefer just to wait it out. You can never get stronger if you always rely on outside help after all."

Pleased with her reply she reached out, resting her hand on top of Alicia's. She gave it a soft squeeze, looking down into the young woman's emerald eyes. "Imagine my worry when I found out you were not only activated without my knowledge, but wounded as well. I came down to medical as soon as I heard the news," she released her hand after another gentle squeeze. Worry wasn't the only thing she'd felt when she'd caught wind of what had happened. Outrage would have better describe her reaction.

"It's just a scratch," she dismissed the woman's worry. "I've had worse injuries on the playground," the words were followed by her famous smile.

Even Amanda cheered up at the spark in the green eyes that stared up at her. "I'm sure you're wondering why you were sent on such a dangerous mission," she gave a small shake of her head, "I know I did when I found out about it. I hope you know Percy went behind my back on this one. I would never put you so recklessly at risk."

"I assumed you were busy elsewhere," Alicia admitted softly.

"Not by choice," Amanda remarked. "Distracted is a more accurate description. While I had my hands full with a particularly rough new recruit Percy was orchestrating this entire mess. While it was never his intention for you to remove the Agent on your own," she paused, pursing her lips, "he knowingly withheld information from you and put you at risk." For a second it seemed as though she was about to start venting her frustrations about Percy. She almost did, Alicia's smile disarming her as it did everyone else, before catching herself. There was more to her visiting the young Agent in medical than just concern for her wellbeing.

Deciding to stay on track she tilted her head, taking in Alicia before her. For a second her eyes lingered on the crass red mark on her stomach, lips pinching in annoyance. The injury was minor but it would still take some time to heal. While she didn't have any missions lined up for the next few weeks, believing more than ever the young woman required a period of rest, she didn't like that the injury restricted from using her if something came up. It may not have been a deep wound but it still nothing pretty to look at. Alicia's greatest asset was her appearance, at least in Amanda's mind, and how well she used it to her advantage.

Nevertheless it didn't ruin her current use for the young woman. "The Operation did accomplish something however," she said in an offhand manner before returning her eyes to Alicia's, "something beyond just removing a problematic Agent."

Percy's involvement and all of the secrecy behind the mission could only mean one thing. "It was a test," she voiced her suspicion aloud. Staring up into Amanda's eyes Alicia knew she had deduced the situation correctly.

"One that you passed," she confirmed with a smile. The young woman was observant and it saved her time to pretend to justify Percy's actions. Instead she could get right to the good part, her _favorite _part. "You displayed your devotion to Division," Amanda praised her, "your willingness to do what it takes for the cause. While I had rather hoped to go about it in a less extreme fashion, I can't deny this worked just as well. Your performance has earned Percy's approval for your new mission."

At the news Alicia could feel her heart sinking. Though she didn't show it on her face, there was no hiding the worry from her thoughts. "I'll be going on another Operation?" she questioned, her voice soft.

"More of an _assignment_ really," the smile she wore sent a shiver down Alicia's spine, "one that will continue over an extended period of time."

_Birkhoff,_ her mind panicked. She hadn't been able to contact him the entire day. When she'd received the call to say she'd been activated she had believed she would have time. Now it seemed as though that wasn't the case. "One where I need to build a cover?" she questioned, knowing her voice sounded curious.

"No, this is an entirely unique assignment Alicia," Amanda grinned, taking the curiosity as a sign of eagerness. "It won't interfere with your involvement with other missions. In fact, I think you'll find this little venture to be a good use of your particular skill set. You'll have to make a few sacrifices, but they pale in comparison in the service you will be providing Division."

"Anything to deserve this second chance," she didn't even need to fake her sincerity. She owed Division her life, and that was something she wouldn't easily forget. When she'd first woken in the cement cell with Michael looming at the other end of the room she had thought that he was there to kill her. Then his smoky voice filled the room informing her that she was no longer in jail awaiting sentencing, but was being given a rare opportunity. After that everything fell into place and day after day she'd become faster, stronger and smarter. The only thing she desired to add to that list was _worthy_.

Amanda had never been more sure that she'd finally found the one she'd been waiting for than at that moment. Not wasting any time she smiled openly at the young woman. "What do you know about Seymour Birkhoff?"

The question caught her so off guard it took her a moment to choke out a reply. "Not much," there was no hiding her shock at the sudden question from her voice, "I know he was a hacker before coming to Division." Quickly composing herself she tilted her head, looking as though she was trying to come up with a sufficient answer instead of thinking only about the man himself. _She can't know_, she assured herself, _Birkhoff has been covering our tracks. _Trusting in the man she met Amanda's eyes even as she smothered the panic that threatened to bubble up. "Shadow Walker," she continued once she'd found her voice, "that was what he went by. Only he was caught and Percy saved him from prison. The recruits say he lives in Division."

Finding the last bit humorous she gave a small laugh. "They aren't very far off on that," Amanda gave the young Agent a nod as if to say she'd heard enough. Alicia didn't need to be told twice and happily stopped trying to come up with facts to list off. "It may surprise you to learn that he was personally associated with Nikita."

It did indeed surprise Alicia. Seymour had never talked about the agent that was so famous for being the only one to successfully go rogue from Division. "Nikita?" she asked, bewildered.

"Yes, the Agent who we have established to be rogue," she nodded briskly, "though she would like us to believe she is dead, we know that is not the case." Unable to talk about the woman without feeling the familiar anger that always came when Nikita was brought up, she began to pace slowly black and forth. Hands clasped behind her back she took a moment to calm herself before continuing. "The two worked closely together. He, Michael and Nikita made quite the trio back in the day. In fact," she stopped her pacing, staring straight at Alicia, "you could say that they shared an intimate relationship. An extremely close friendship if you will. While Nikita was always more inclined towards Michael, she didn't hold any reserves about flirting with Birkhoff. It was only natural that he developed a crush."

Alicia took in the information, trying to figure out just what to do with it. She didn't understand why Amanda of all people was telling her this. More importantly, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Birkhoff had never breathed a single word about this Nikita to Alicia. _Because she was a secret_, her mind taunted her. As much as she wanted to grimace she only gave Amanda a slightly taken aback look. "The rumors didn't say anything about that," she breathed.

"That's no surprise," Amanda resumed her pacing, "you see, Nikita slipping out from under our control was no small feat. Not only did she find a way to disable her tracker, but she has managed to evade us for almost a year now. This is not something easily done, especially considering that Birkhoff is the one in charge of the net set to catch her."

Once more Amanda ceased her pacing, eyes locking on to Alicia's green ones. Every word she'd said seemed to follow a two second delay as her mind absorbed them. "You think Birkhoff had something to do with her escape," the realization rolled from her lips. This was _not_ what she'd expected when Amanda had informed her she had a mission for her.

"After Nikita left, Seymour fell into quite a bitter mood. He became difficult to work with and his sour attitude discouraged recruits from reaching full potential. Now this _could_ be because he's upset over being unsuccessful in finding her, and at having no knowledge she was going to leave in the first place," she paused for effect, "or there's the possibility he aided in coordinating the entire thing."

"Birkhoff might be a traitor?" Alicia asked, dumbfounded.

Amanda gave a small sad smile. "He may," she agreed, "or, he may just be easily manipulated. There is the possibility that he unknowingly gave Nikita the means to disappear. You may have noticed he has a tendency to brag. With his feelings towards Nikita it's not entirely impossible that she managed to get information from him without considering how she may utilize it."

Taking in all of this new information Alicia pieced together what Amanda had in store for her. When the idea came it almost seemed too unbelievable, given the circumstances between her and Birkhoff. "You want me to find out the truth," she marveled at the fact, "but how?"

"Ever since you first worked with Birkhoff his mood has increased greatly. In fact," she gave a scheming smile, "you could say he's almost reverted back to his old self." Taking two steps forward, her heels clicking on the floor, she approached the side of the medical chair. Her hand raised, well perfectly manicured fingers coming to rest on Alicia's cheek. "You have such an inviting face, such a welcoming smile. It came as no surprise to me when you managed to lighten Seymour's mood," she brushed her fingers down the soft skin of Alicia's face. Looking down into the wide emerald eyes that gazed up at her Amanda knew that her plan would work.

She withdrew her hand slowly from the girls face, eyes glittering deviously. Percy had given her permission to go through with her pet project. While he didn't believe it would produce any results, Amanda firmly believed otherwise. "Nikita had six years during which she could have gathered enough information for her betrayal, let's see how long it will take _you_," the woman flashed a cunning smile.

"What is my approach?" Alicia asked, not sure if she could believe what was being proposed to her.

"Your assignment is simple; win over Birkhoff," she dictated to her, "You will put yourself in his path and gain his trust."

She blinked slowly, her suspicions confirmed. "Why should he trust me?" she asked, finding it too amazing to just be a coincidence. "Lesson One: Relationships are forbidden. Everyone knows that, surely Birkhoff wouldn't chance breaking this rule."

"But_ relations_ are not," Amanda's burgundy lips turned upwards as she smiled down at her shining star. "I've trained you well Alicia, never doubt in your abilities. While some may say that your innocent appearance is a hindrance for Division's line of work, I've assure you that isn't the case. You've already gotten Seymour to break out of his little shell. When he finds out a beautiful young woman like you is interested in him he won't be able to resist; not after I have a talk with him."

At hearing the words leave Amanda's lips she didn't even try to hide her shock. "You want me to start a false relationship with him," Alicia breathed, "so I can get close enough to find out the truth."

She lifted a hand, gently patting the auburn waves that were tied up into a pony tail. "I know, it's not an ideal assignment," her tone was one of sympathy, "but it is necessary. While getting intimate with him is unpleasant, it is essential to the plan. A man who is ruled by his brain has one great weakness; his body." Everything that Amanda was saying overwhelmed Alicia, and her mouth opened and closed in pure shock of it all. _I'm being ordered to sleep with Birkhoff_, her mind tried to wrap itself around this piece of information. Taking her reaction as one of repulsion Amanda stared directly into her eyes, making sure her next words weren't missed. "Don't think too deeply into the action itself Alicia. Focus on what you will be accomplishing. If Birkhoff does have knowledge on how to betray Division then it's _crucial_ that we know this. We can't have a bunch of trained assassins running lose in the world. Think of all the damage that would cause; all the innocent lives that would be lost."

Alicia almost felt like laughing. She'd just been assigned to start a fake relationship with a man whom she was secretly already involved with. The irony of it all was unbelievable. While she owed Division everything she knew that she was going to tell Seymour what is was Amanda had tasked her with. How could she not? If she held back that vital information and he continued to go about hiding all their interactions then Amanda would know for certain that Birkhoff had more than a few tricks up his sleeve. Though she didn't quite know what to do with all of this information revolving around Nikita, she decided she would be able to figure that out later. For now she had to focus on the woman in front of her. "I will do my best," she lowered her head in a sign of obedience.

Once more Amanda was patting her soft hair, causing the young woman to look up at her. The look in those green eyes was that of determination, and Amanda returned it with a pleased smile. "I know you will Alicia, I have faith in you," she praised in a sweet tone. Once more drawing her hand back from Alicia's hair she stepped away. "I'm sure you're dying to return home," Amanda held her hand out to instead offer it to Alicia, "you've had a long day all things considered."

She accepted it, allowing the woman to help her to her feet. "Almost as much as I'm looking forward to getting out of these clothes," she admitted, looking down at what she wore. The grey sports bra and black pants were plain and uninspiring. Worse yet; it reminded her of being a recruit.

Amanda paused just outside of the room, giving a smile to Alicia. "I've had an outfit sent to your old room along with information on your new assignment," she informed her, happy that she could accommodate to the needs of the young woman. "You'll find the supplies to take care of that wound," she motioned idly to Alicia's bared torso, "are in there as well. Do be sure to take care of it. While we can remove scars here it's much easier to allow them to heal on their own."

"Of course," she nodded, having every intention to do just that. "Thank you Amanda, I appreciate everything you've done for me."

At this she positively beamed, which was an expression that made the hairs on the back of Alicia's neck stand on end. "You'll come to see that those who are in my good graces are well taken care of," she informed her. "Continue on the way you have and you will see just how much Division can offer you. This assignment is a big opportunity for you Alicia. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon. You can wait until tomorrow to go over the information I've provided you with, and I will update you accordingly."

With a few more words the pair parted, and Alicia followed the familiar path towards the training rooms. The entire time she couldn't get the new development out of her mind. She simply _had _to tell Birkhoff. His reaction was one that she was prepared to savor. After all that he'd done for her, it seemed like she was finally able to share a little good news in return. Her new assignment provided a freedom that she'd never dreamed they'd ever had; they could be seen together in public. While Alicia had never been a part of a real couple before, she couldn't help but desire to go on a legitimate date.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't see Samson until he was right in front of her. "Well, if it isn't _Agent Alicia_," he teased, a smirk playing on his lips.

Alicia barely managed to get her feet to stop before she could have the misfortune of running directly into him. "Samson," she greeted him, suddenly realizing where she was, "it's been a while." She'd found herself a few feet away from the steps that lead from the training room. All around her the sound of people sparring and fists connecting with punching dummies sounded. In front of her Samson wore a pair of black sparring gloves as he blocked her path.

"You'll be seeing a lot more of me soon," he proudly informed her.

"You're going to graduate?" she asked, pleased for the recruit who she'd been paired with for so long.

"Yeah, I go out tomorrow," Samson nodded, his eyes flickering over her. When his eyes landed on the wound across her stomach they lingered for a long minute before rising to meet her eyes. "I'd ask you to go a round for old time sakes, but it looks like you're out of commission."

Alicia returned his smile with a dazzling one of her own. "Oh don't let it fool you," she patted her stomach before lowering her hand to pat lower, this time on the hilt of the knife that was sheathed at her waist. "Unless they changed the rules around here about recruits having weapons," her smile became a smirk, "you're the one at a disadvantage."

She wasn't prepared for him to grab her arm, pulling her in close. "Speaking of things being out of commission," he lowered his voice, glancing around before continuing on, "rumor is you took out an active." Startled that the news had spread so fast, she took a quick step back. One look at her face was enough for Samson, and a look of awe took over his usually smug expression. "You did!" he breathed in astonishment. "I thought it was just a rumor!"

Aware that eyes were on them she glared at him. "He was a rogue," she whispered angrily, "I was just doing my mission."

"You're a Cleaner?" he asked, looking shaken.

"No," she laughed, shaking her head. _Thank god I'm not_, she couldn't help but think, _I'd be taking out Birkhoff then, not going out. _When Samson gave her a bewildered look she sighed. "You know how Birkhoff said we have to be prepared for anything? Well, if I hadn't been then I wouldn't be here right now," she informed him. Before he could ask another question she realized that she now had an excuse to ask, "Speaking of Birkhoff, do you know where he is? When I passed by the Lab he wasn't in there."

Samson grimaced at the question. "The geek wasn't in today. We had a sub," he shrugged.

"Do you know where he was?" she asked, this information surprising her. In the time she'd been a recruit Birkhoff had never missed a class.

"Something about him taking a break," he informed her, not liking that she was asking about him, "probably overdosed on energy drinks or something."

At this she only rolled her eyes. Patting Samson on the chest, she managed to slip past him and start up the steps. "Good luck on your graduation," she shot back, looking over her shoulder to give him a goodbye, "catch you on the flip side." And with a wink she was on her way to her old room, every step of the way thinking of Birkhoff and how she'd go about telling him that she'd just been ordered to sleep with him in a sense. Really, life at Division was actually kind of fun if you overlooked the whole government issued assassin thing. 


	9. Beauty and Her Brains

_Check out the Opening Credits for this story! Go to youtube and look up "Lesson One Birkhoff" and leave some love!_

* * *

Running a hand through her loose waves Alicia clambered out of the elevator and into her dark apartment. She was dead tired, wanting nothing more than to kick off her heels and climb into bed. It was nearing two in the morning by the time she finally managed to drag herself away from Division. The fault was entirely Michael's, but she didn't feel any ill feelings towards him for it. If anything she was as grateful as she was tired.

The clothes Amanda had sent for were waiting in her room as promised, along with a purse. Alicia knew better than to assume it was just a fashion accessory and the moment she lifted it from the bed she knew she was right. Inside was tablet along with a handful of necessary accessories. One glance at the device and she deduced that this was what held the information on new assignment. Following up on Amanda's suggestion that she wait until tomorrow to look over the information, Alicia happily set it aside and stripped of her field clothes.

She'd just pulled on the new navy blue dress that Amanda had given her, it wasn't one from her closet at home, when the knock on the door came. She'd expected it was Samson coming to harass her some more, and she called out permission to enter. Only it hadn't been the soon to be Agent, no- it had been Michael. With his usual cool attitude and smoky voice he let himself into her room, closing the door gently behind him as he asked her about her injury. For being part of such a dangerous agency she couldn't help but feel miffed that everyone seemed to be commenting on the small scratch. Her frustrations dissipated quickly though. Before she had time to let his worry get to her he'd started talking.

Like Amanda, Michael had known nothing about the Operation she had been sent on. While he'd watched it all from the Command Center, only after having been paged by Percy he added, he was just as surprised as she'd been by what was in store. It was clear from the way he had his hands in that impeccable black on black suit he often donned that he was still frustrated over the situation. After a few more words, assuring her that he would _never_ send her in blindly like that, Alicia realized the man was shaken. While he was unable to show it or even voice the concern he held for the Agent under his watch, she picked up on the signs easily.

It was for that reason that it came to be she was soon back in the field clothes and in a position she never thought she'd be in again; training in Division. Neither of them wanted Alicia to have the problem of being disarmed so easily on and being forced into hand to hand combat when it could be avoided, and so they'd somehow wound up in the otherwise empty firearms course. For hours the two went at it, going through countless simulations and actions. Michael had removed his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves on his dark dress shirt, the top two buttons undone as he ran over everything he could teach her. Back and forth they went; Alicia turning corners and getting the drop on Michael, and he in turn disarming her every chance he got.

By the time she'd gotten a proud smile from Michael and his approval at her improvement they'd realized what time it was. Time had gone quickly, but it had taken its toll on both of them. The pair had agreed they'd had more than enough practice for the night and so shuffled off from the training room. He'd escorted her back to her old room, waiting outside in the hall as she changed so as not to put her in a position to explain what she was doing on the recruit floor. Worn out from the long day they'd retired to the parking garage to go their separate ways. He left her with the teasing warning he wasn't through with her yet, and while she was no longer a recruit, she could count on a test to make sure she'd gotten it right.

Alicia was glad for his help, and beyond thankful that he was her mentor. She couldn't have asked for a better trainer. Michael was a man who didn't just do his job, but did it well. He looked out for his recruits to the best of his ability and the ones that were assigned to him after becoming Agents were lucky in Alicia's opinion. Though training with him had sapped the rest of her energy, she at least had peace of mind. Next time she wouldn't let anyone get the drop on her so easily. While Michael had reminded her that it was only natural that sometimes the opponent would have the upper hand, he also assured her that training would reduce the chances of that happening.

The day wasn't over for Alicia yet. As tired as she was she knew that the assignment Amanda had given her raised as many problems as it did opportunities. She stripped of the navy heels, setting them beside the door, before striding across the hardwood floors. Flipping on the lights in the living room, she made her way to the couch only to sink into it. _This is going to be fun,_ she thought dryly, allowing her eyes to close as she tilted back her head. For a few minutes she sat like that, relaxing her body and going through the plan in her mind.

She eased open her eyes as she pulled out her phone, looking down the device. It was hard to believe that just a few months ago she'd never owned a cell phone before, and now she was typing out a message to her top secret boyfriend. _He is my boyfriend,_ she wondered idly, _right?_ They'd never actually gone over what their relationship was. All she knew was that they had a relationship. Having never been in one before she wasn't exactly sure what the proper titles would be. After all, they weren't in normal circumstances.

Normal or not, she still felt bad about texting him so early in the morning. But this wasn't something she could put off. Until she took every precaution necessary she wouldn't be able to talk to Birkhoff in person. That was maddening considering everything she had to tell him. Without quick fingers she typed out a message to the man, confident in the fact that this means of communications wouldn't be traceable. Birkhoff had assured her that any communication to his personal line was secure. If he said it then it was true. It was as simple as that.

**Just got back from D.**She typed out, **Lots to talk about when it's safe. Need a favor.** After pressing send she set the phone aside, pulling the purse Amanda had given her into her lap. After removing all of its contents, she examined every inch of the purse with nimble fingers. Just as she was breathing a sigh of relief under the knowledge that it wasn't bugged her phone trilled.

"I really need to change that ringtone," she muttered before snatching the phone back up.

It didn't surprise her entirely that Birkhoff was still up. **Tell me about it, I'm going crazy over here. What can I do ya for babe?** She read his message with a smile. Though Birkhoff was the type of man to use pet names quite frequently, she couldn't help but feel a little buzz whenever he did. It seemed so much more personal when he used them with her, and she liked to believe that it was because that was indeed the case.

**Check the camera feeds for my apartment. I know you've got at least one eye in here.** Her request was simple enough.

He didn't waste any time in replying. **What am I looking for?**

**Anyone coming in or going out. **She informed him, glad that he hadn't even asked why. It was reassuring to know that he didn't need a reason behind being assigned work.

He had enough on his hands to keep him busy for a lifetime, and yet at the mention of her needing him to do something he didn't hesitate when he read over her message. Back in his apartment Birkhoff read over the text, the video feed from her apartment already up on his screen. _What's got her worried?_ He wondered, fingers poised on the keys as he waited for the search to finish. She was right, Division did have a camera in her apartment. There was only one and it was integrated into the keypad that controlled the elevator.

From its position on the wall it didn't provide much of a view of the apartment, of which he was glad. While he usually handled anything to do with checking in on Agents, he knew that he wasn't always the one who did so. The camera only showed the entrance to her apartment, consisting of a partial view on her kitchen and a sliver of her living room. It was enough to let Division know if she had anyone up into her apartment, but it didn't provide a view on any of the areas that she'd actually reside in. As much as he would have loved to be able to peek in on her to see what she was doing he was thankful that he couldn't. It meant no one else could either.

The scan was quickly over and he went over any of the movement that the cameras had picked up on. He'd kept the search open to include the elevator, the lobby which he knew Alicia had never so much as stepped foot in, and the parking garage for good measure. "God," he shook his head as he watched one of the tenants with his finger in his nose as he rode the elevator up, "sometimes I hate my job."

Treating Alicia's request with the same thoroughness as a Division assignment, he went the extra mile. After a few gulps of the energy drink at his side, he returned his fingers to the keys and was back at work. It didn't take long to go through all of the feeds and judge all of the activity normal going back all the way to when Alicia had left her apartment that morning. His work wasn't done though, and so he didn't pick back up his phone until he was satisfied that none of the feeds had been altered. He knew exactly what to look for after all; he changed them every time he visited her.

When Alicia received his text she breathed a sigh of relief. **All good in the hood. Mind telling me what's up?**

If Birkhoff hadn't found anything than that meant she was in the clear. Well, it at least meant her apartment was safe. The same couldn't be said for the tablet beside her on the couch. Amanda had given her the assignment to get close to Birkhoff, and she hadn't been able to stop the worry that came with that. It wasn't that farfetched to believe the woman would bug the tablet, or even her apartment, so she could listen in on the progress Alicia was making. While she now had an excuse to be seen with Birkhoff, and even be openly close with him, that didn't mean Amanda could know _everything_. Assignment or no assignment, what she had with Seymour wasn't something she'd allow Division to get their claws into. She owed them her life, but they couldn't own her happiness.

The moment Alicia's reply came through Birkhoff was on his feet, downing the rest of the energy with one hand as he pulled his laptop carrying case over his shoulder with the other. **Worried about a bug problem.** He paused at his screen long enough to adjust the feeds to assure that once more he would be an invisible man as well as a shut in who was spending his day off in his apartment.

_About time,_ he mused as he climbed into the one non-Division issued vehicle he kept at his department, _me being a loner for so long is finally paying off_. If for some weird reason anyone decided to check in on him they'd see he was at his apartment and move on to the next task. There would be nothing odd about him staying in all day. He could have even left it so his tracker said he was stationary in his apartment and no one would think twice. Despite the fact that he actually _did_ spend as much time out and about as he could when he managed to get a break from Division, everyone seemed to believe otherwise.

Birkhoff wasn't an idiot like everyone seemed to think he was. He heard what was said about him. When the recruits would whisper under their breath it was nothing he hadn't been hearing for years. _He's a virgin, he lives in Division because the outside world scares him, he sleeps in a car shaped bed…_ they were all petty rumors. While he couldn't help but chastise any of the recruits who were stupid enough to let him overhear, he knew that it didn't do anything to stop it from carrying on behind his back. At first it had bother him, in a way it still did, but he didn't let it get to him too much. He knew that regardless of what was said he was smarter than all of them combined. Birkhoff's genius was something they could never comprehend, and what people didn't understand they instead found fault in.

But Alicia had never treated him like the others. She'd never looked down on him; in fact she always seemed to regard him with respect. While at first he had believed her smiles to be nothing more than her default expression, he'd even once suspected them to be patronizing, he knew that wasn't the case. He'd known from the moment she'd flashed that smile up at the camera during her first Operation as a recruit. There was truth behind that smile of hers, and the truth was that she appreciated him for who he was. After that he suddenly became aware of how she'd stick up for him when Samson would make some biting comment, and it had been the only thing that kept him from putting the oaf in his place. Birkhoff had hated how the recruit looked at her, but when he saw how upset Samson got when Alicia would defend him he'd taken immense pleasure in it.

Still, when the beautiful young woman met him at the elevator with a surprised smile he couldn't believe how lucky he'd gotten. "Did someone call an exterminator?" he greeted her with a playful smile.

For a moment Alicia stared at him wide eyed. Birkhoff always managed to surprise her one way or another and now was no different. As glad as she was to see him, she didn't bother to hide the worry from her eyes. "You shouldn't be here," she whispered, eyes darting towards the living room. She'd been in the middle of working on dismantling the tablet when the ping of someone accessing her floor had made her jump to her feet.

"Relax," he easily assured her, stepping from the elevator, "I've got us covered sweetheart." The door closed behind him, and he took in her in with a sweep of his eyes. Before she could open her mouth to say something, he could tell from her expression she was about to, Birkhoff gave her another smile. "Signal scrambler," he patted the computer bag that hung from his shoulder, "never leave home without it."

At his words she could feel herself unwinding. "Of course you don't," she shook her head with a smile.

"It's good you're playing it safe though. Usually I'm the only one doing the thinking," he laughed, running a hand over his hair. One more look at her and he picked up on the tired matt to her usually sparkling eyes. While it _was_ almost three in the morning, he knew there was more to it than that. Especially considering she'd contacted him only half an hour ago with the unusual request to check for unwanted guests popping into her apartment. "What has you so riled up?" Birkhoff asked, voice a mix of curiosity and concern. As much as he wanted to find out what she'd been doing all day he was focused on her current state of exhaustion.

Knowing he'd follow, she started back towards the living room. "A lot happened today," she sighed, ruffling her hair distractedly. The second they were at the couch she looked down at the scene before her. The laptop Birkhoff had given her was up and running, a diagram up on the screen. Beside it was the tablet, the main panel removed and the other in the process of being stripped away in a similar fashion. When Birkhoff's eyes met hers, she knew what he was wondering. "Amanda gave it to me. I may just be paranoid," she sighed, "but I think it could be bugged."

Not needing to hear anymore he was on the couch in a matter of seconds, setting his computer bag beside him on the couch as he leaned towards the project she had going on. "Tweezers?" he asked, picking up the tool she'd been using to get into the tablet.

"It was all I could find," Alicia let out a tired laugh. "I didn't want to wait until morning," she explained, "so I had to improvise. I figured now would be the time to do it. If it is bugged then it wouldn't be weird for me to be silent at this hour."

He nodded, eyes dancing over the screen she had pulled up. It was a diagram to the tablet she had been in the process of dismantling. "And they say beauty can't have brains," Birkhoff teased, looking up at her with pride in his eyes. While she hadn't exactly been doing rocket science, he was pleasantly surprised to see she'd made progress on her own. He'd never had a reason to teach a class on how to pull apart a tablet, but she had been managing well on her own.

She groaned, rolling her eyes. "They may be right yet," Alicia quipped, "I've been at this or half an hour and haven't even gotten to the main circuits yet."

"But you knew to look inside the device," he pointed out, patting the couch beside him, "that's more than I can say for most of my students."

Alicia happily joined him on the couch, watching as he pulled his laptop case into his lap and began to open it up. "Amanda's too smart to just integrate it into a program, though I did look for that first," she admitted.

He flashed a grin over at her, before pushing her laptop over on the coffee table to make room for his own. "You can close that down," he informed her, "I won't be needing it."

"Of course you wouldn't," she gave a little weak smile as she leaned forward to exit out of all the windows she had opened. Just getting to the information had been a pain. Trying to find a diagram of the circuitry wasn't exactly easy. It wasn't like the company was about to show all their competitors exactly what made their device tick, and she'd had to resort to the usual question she asked when working with electronics: _What would Birkhoff do?_

"Hey," his hand on her knee pulled her from the tired train of thought, "what's got you so blue? It's not like you."

She met his navy eyes, startled to realize he was wearing his glasses. "You've got your glasses on," she couldn't stop from making the observation out loud, "I've never seen you wear them outside of Division."

Birkhoff laughed, caught off guard by the comment. "I don't like wearing my contacts when I don't have to," he explained, amused that she had brought it up.

They shared in a smile for a moment before he gave her a look that reminded her of the question he'd asked. "I'm just exhausted," she sighed, running her hand through the waves of her hair once more. "It was a long day. There's a lot going on in my mind right now," Alicia sighed again. That was the understatement of the year. Between today's mission, her lapse of sanity during the final kill, Amanda's unexpected assignment and all of the techniques Michael had been drilling with she felt like she was going to self destruct.

Sensing just how tired she was, he leaned in, stealing a quick kiss. "Never fear, Birkhoff's here," he smiled into her green eyes. "I've got this handled," he turned back to the equipment he was pulling from his tote, "so don't you worry. In the meantime just relax and breathe."

Alicia watched as he set up his laptop, pulling out tools that she knew were to work on the tablet. It didn't surprise her to see how well prepared he was. She'd noticed the tote was larger than required to carry just his laptop, and evidently it was to hold an array of gear capable of dissecting technical equipment. When he pulled out the power cord she was already on her feet, hand out to take the cord from him. "I can get that for you," she smiled down at him. He handed it forth, and she crossed the room, plugging it into the outlet. "Do you want something to drink?" she asked, seeing as she was already up.

"That'd be great," he nodded, focused on the laptop he was typing commands into, "anything with caffeine. Coffee works if you have it."

Pleased that she could do better than coffee she sauntered into the kitchen, pulling an energy drink from the refrigerator. She'd stocked the bottom shelf with an array of the cans just for him. Admittedly she'd acquired a bit of a liking for them as well. It was tempting to grab a can for herself, but she knew if she did that she wouldn't be able to get any sleep. Though, with Birkhoff being there, she didn't know if she would anyway. It didn't seem fair to have him up and working on a problem that wouldn't have existed if it wasn't for her. It would be pointless to fight him over it though, and soon she was back on the couch, sidling up beside him.

"How about a shot of taurine," she handed over the can with a sleepy smile, "that good enough for you?"

"Babe," he shook his head with amazement, "sometimes I think you're a mind reader you know me so well."

She laughed, not understanding the man. Here he was, already in the process of picking apart the tablet, and he was praising her over knowing his energy drink preferences? "Nothing so glamorous," she shook her head, "I just pay attention."

"So do I, and it doesn't take a genius to see you're tired," he looked up from what he was working on to give her a soft smile. "Why don't you slip into something more comfortable? This may take a little while," his eyes turned back down to the hardware he was picking at with his tools, "when it comes to the dragon lady one can never be too cautious."

As Alicia got to her feet she couldn't help but give an amused chuckle. "Dragon lady?"

"That's what I call her, though don't tell her that," Birkhoff warned good-humoredly, "she'd have me quarter marshaled before you could even say _Deathstar._"

She was already halfway to her room when she quipped back, "No promises."

Drawing his eyes away from the components he was picking at, he couldn't resist looking over at her as she slipped into her bedroom. "Nothing too sexy," he called out with a smirk, "or I'll never get any work done." He could hear her laugh, and grinned as he got back to what he was doing.

When he'd sensed her worry through the texts he hadn't so much as hesitated before heading over to her apartment. He had no idea what would be waiting for him there, and hadn't started to worry she may be sleeping until he'd pulled into the parking garage. One perk of owning the swag building was he didn't have to worry about not finding a spot. Now, as he focused on the task at hand, he was glad he'd come. Finding out his suspicions that she was under a lot of stress were correct had initially worried him, but now that he knew he could help to ease her mind he felt pleased. Unlike with any of his jobs at Division he was actually _glad_ to be up at the wee hours of the morning tinkering with technology.

He was even more satisfied at his decision she Alicia rejoined him on the couch, stretching out with a little yawn as she got comfortable. "Have I told you you're amazing lately?" she asked, emerald eyes sparkling as she looked up with him. She'd laid on her back, head resting just beside his thigh, and looking down at her he was tempted to lean down and kiss her. He would have if it wasn't for the fact his lap was occupied with the exposed inner workings of the tablet. Any shift in movement and he risked damaging the equipment.

"Hmm," he pretended to think, "no, I don't think you have."

The soft laugh he got in reply made him grin. "You're amazing Seymour," she whispered.

The warm feeling he always got when she called him by his first name, paired with the sentence, was enough to put him on cloud nine. If this was the thanks he got for doing some simple bug hunting then he couldn't wait for the opportunity to do something truly impressive for her. "Careful, I may get a big head with talk like that," he teased.

"I mean it. I don't know what I'd do without you. Probably go crazy," her eyes fluttered closed as she exhaled a slow breath. "I owe Division my life, which is a heavy feeling. I mean, how does someone earn something like that?" she asked lightly.

Birkhoff hesitated, surprised at her worry. Amanda had run her ragged with missions the moment she made Agent, and Alicia had completed every one successfully. She'd never so much as questioned her orders, and had done nothing but prove herself since day one. It was clear that she was a _rising star_ as Amanda so annoyingly referred to her as. If anyone had nothing to worry about it was her. "I'd say you're doing a damn good job," he reassured her.

"I've just got my fingers crossed hoping that I'll be able to keep pleasing them, you know? I'm walking on a tightrope and the only thing keeping me up is the fact I can put on a good show. It's tiring," she admitted, "always wearing some mask of emotion. The only time I can be free is when I'm with you, and really I owe Division for that too."

He stopped what he was doing, looking down at Alicia beside him. Her eyes were closed, hair billowing out around her on the couch. If he hadn't been listening to what she said, he'd say she looked peaceful; almost like an angel. "I know exactly what you mean," his voice came out soft. And he did. If it hadn't been for Division then he'd never had been so lucky as to meet her. But, at the same time he was selfishly happy that it was his program that found her, he couldn't help but wish things were different. He shook that dangerous thought from his mind. "But you shouldn't worry so much. You're giving Division your all," Birkhoff turned his eyes back to the hardware, "anyone can see that."

"Yeah, well it's the least I can do all things considered," she sighed.

"What were you doing there today anyways?" he couldn't help but ask. It had been bothering him all day. When he'd checked in to see what she was up to he'd been surprised to see her tracker showed her location as Division.

"I was called in for an Op."

Birkhoff looked back down at her surprised at the news. "I didn't think you have anything lined up," his brow furrowed. She wasn't on any lists of active Ops, he knew that for a fact. It had been the first thing he'd looked into when he'd seen where she was. "Didn't Amanda give you some time off?"

Alicia nodded sleepily. It wasn't a surprise that Birkhoff hadn't known about her being activated. If he had then he would have called her to let her know. It'd become a bit of a habit of his, giving her details on the missions before she'd go in. He always kept an eye out for her, as he'd promised, and was always on the up and up about any Operations going on. "Yeah," she acknowledged, "but it wasn't Amanda who called me in; it was Percy."

"What?" he asked, hands stilling as he focused down on her. This was news to him, and not good news. "Why would Percy call you in," he wondered out loud, "he has favorites he always uses."

"It was a test," Alicia answered without hesitation.

This only upset him all the more. "He didn't call me in," he muttered under his breath. _What would he want with Alicia?_ He wondered, trying to

contain the worry. When Percy was involved it was never good, especially when it was one of his pet projects. "I take it you passed," Birkhoff pushed his glasses back into place as he turned back to focus his anger on the device. The second he finished with it he would open up Division's servers and hack into the recording of the mission that she'd been sent on. He had to see for himself just what Percy was testing her on.

"Barely," she nodded softly.

He barely heard her over the thoughts racing through his mind. _No wonder she was so worn out,_ his eyes flickered down towards her. He hadn't even realized how much time had passed, and found she was already asleep. Something he'd always been good at was taking his emotions and turning them instead to productivity. Now was a perfect example, and he set aside the reassembled tablet. He didn't even bother starting it up to make sure it worked; he knew it would.

She'd rolled onto her side, head nuzzled up against his thigh. Without thinking he reached down, brushing the hair from her face as he gazed at her. It was hard to believe that just a few months ago he'd been barking out orders at her without so much as a glance her way. And now here she was, sleeping beside him so soundly. Her guard was down completely, and when he slipped his arms beneath her to lift her from the couch she didn't wake. Instead she let out a little breathy sound, snuggling into him as he stood, holding her in his arms.

For a long minute he just held her, looking down at the young woman in her arms. While he knew he was stronger than he looked he couldn't help but marvel at how light she was. If he didn't know better he'd say she was made just for him. The way she felt in his arms, her heat slowly mixing with his, he wished he could stay like this forever. But he knew that he couldn't, and so he carried her towards the bedroom. As much as he loved having her beside him he didn't want to chance her waking to the sounds of the Op he was about to watch.

Leaning back, he used his chest to support her as he pushed the blankets aside on her bed before softly setting her down. After pulling the covers over her he stepped back, looking down at her as she rolled over, getting comfortable in the large bed. Running a hand through his shaggy brown hair her turned and left, gently easing the door closed behind him with one last look at her.

Alicia woke with a start, sitting up quickly in her bed, hands propping her up. Her eyes scanned the room once, then twice, before she realized where she was. _My bedroom,_ she let out a sigh of relief. She knew she fell asleep on the couch beside Seymour, and waking up somewhere else had caused her to panic. The initial thought had been _Division_. That wasn't the case however and she realized what must have happened. _He carried me to bed_, a little smile flittered onto her lips at how sweet of him that was. For a computer nerd he sure was smooth.

With a stretch she climbed from bed, ambling straight into the bathroom. She showered, wincing a little as the hot water ran over the wound on her stomach. The pain was minimal though, and after applying the ointment and changing the butterfly bandages she was good as new. Dressing in a pair of designer jeans and a shirt that had an empire waist, the soft fabric nice and loose over her poor stomach, she stepped out of the walk in closet shaking her head. "Yeah," she glanced at her reflection in the mirror, "I'm never going to get used to this."

She was so caught up in trying to wrap her head around the fact that all of this stuff was _hers_ that when she walked into the living room she didn't see Birkhoff on the couch. "Morning sunshine," he chimed out.

Startled, she looked to him with eyes wide. "I thought you went home!" she exclaimed, a hand darting up to rest over her racing heart. One look at the three energy drink cans on the coffee table beside his computer and she realized not only had he stayed, but he'd been up all night. "What time is it?" she asked, eyes moving from the table to the man on her couch.

"Seven," Birkhoff responded, running a hand through his hair, "you're up early."

"And you didn't sleep," she quipped back, striding into the room.

"I couldn't," he responded slowly, looking up at her. She'd come to a stop just near the edge of the couch and before she could ask why he demanded, "Show me."

Alicia blinked, confused at his suddenly stern tone. "Show you what?" she asked, bewildered.

Birkhoff clenched his teeth, trying to refrain from losing control. He knew that he wasn't mad at _her_, he was mad at the situation. Mix that with having no sleep and the cocktail of caffeine, sugar and taurine that was pulsing through his veins and he was edgy. "You _know_ what," he tried to keep his voice cool as he stared up at her.

Her hand lifted her shirt without a second thought. It was almost as though she could sense what his irritation about, and she pieced it together before she'd even realized it. She'd fallen asleep after talking about the Op she'd been on, and Birkhoff wasn't the type of man who could contain his curiosity. The look on his face as he took in her wound made her feel guilty at his concern. "It's just a scratch," she repeated the words it seemed like she'd said so many times now, "it doesn't hurt."

His eyes scanned over it a few more times, and she waited with baited breath. When he finally let out a sigh of relief and reached out to take her free hand, she let him pull her closer. "It looked worse on screen," he commented, running his fingers gently over her skin. He traced the diagonal path of her scar, just below the actual wound.

"I was playing it up," she breathed, watching the path of finger. His touch was featherlight, and it almost tickled as he went. "I had to sell the act so he'd underestimate me," she explained. _It must have scared him_, she realized, _seeing me like that._ She knew that she was a convincing actress, and the determination at trying to act like it hadn't hurt must have seemed real to Birkhoff.

"You're sure it doesn't hurt?" he asked, eyes flickering up to meet hers. When she nodded he didn't look convinced. "Not at all?" he pushed.

Alicia felt silly, and looked away. "Okay, so it stings," she admitted. "But honestly Birkhoff I'm-"

The sensation of his lips touching center of the wound startled her into silence, eyes snapping down to look at him in surprise. He let his lips linger for a second before pulling back, smirking up at her. "You got quiet quick," he said playfully. The blush he was rewarded with nearly stopped his heart. While he knew he'd been breaking through to her, she had stopped feeling the need to mask her emotions around him, he'd never seen such a lovely expression before. When her lips opened to make some sort of a comment he shut her up once more. This time his lips touched where the red gash started, just above her right hip bone. Barely brushing his lips against the cut he followed its path up and across her abs with soft kisses. When he reached the end he drew back, a smirk on his face as he looked up to her. "All better," he teased.

She didn't know what to say, her cheeks still burning red. No one had ever treated her the way that he was, and she'd never do anything but put on a mask to play a part if they had. But Seymour wasn't just anyone. And the butterfly bandages seemed to be in her stomach rather than on it as they fluttered in her tummy. All she could do was release the shirt she'd been clutching in her hand, feeling once more like a little schoolgirl when it came to Birkhoff. She looked away out of embarrassment, only for her eyes to fall on the tablet that sat on the table. "You put it back together," she realized, quickly.

He laughed at her change in subject, deciding to let her off the hook for now. She'd warned him that it was her first relationship and to be honest, he was beyond glad for that. "Of course," he grinned, pulling gently on her hand, "I wasn't going to leave it to you and your tweezers."

While she may not have relationship experience she did with men, and she knew what he'd been hinting towards. Happily obliging his unspoken request she climbed into his lap. It wasn't hard to get comfortable, and the pair seemed to fit together perfectly. "So what did you find?" she asked, picking the device from the table and turning it over in her hands.

Birkhoff deftly snatched it from her, turning the device on. "There's good news and bad news," he informed her, "so what do you want first?"

"The bad," she responded without need to think it over. When he gave her a surprised look at her fast response she just shrugged. "If you get the good first then the bad ruins it," she explained her philosophy behind it, "but if you get it afterwards it just puts things in perspective."

He just shook his head, marveling at how lucky he was. _I could get used to this,_ he slipped his free arm around her waist, careful to avoid the injury. "Okay so the bad news: this baby has a tracker in it," he handed it back to her.

"That's not so bad," she breathed a sigh of relief. If it was bugged then she would have had to find some way to disable it every time she wanted to talk to Birkhoff. While it wouldn't have been difficult per say, it would have been yet _another_ precaution to take. Amanda hadn't said anything about needing to bring the tablet with her where ever she went, and so it could easily be left at home when rendezvousing with Seymour. "So what's the good?" she asked, a weight already lifted from her shoulders.

"There's no bug," Birkhoff established with a little nod. "So the scrambler is off, and both you and your tablet agree you are at your apartment. And Amanda," he grinned, "is none the wiser." He watched as she stared down at the device in her hand. The screen was on, and a few icons displayed, but she didn't do anything with it. "So," he couldn't contain his curiosity, "what's on that anyways?" She took a deep breath, preparing herself to fill him in, only to be cut short. "Wait-" he stopped her, "more importantly; what the _hell_ happened on that Operation?"

Alicia looked back at him, the tablet lowering to rest in her lap momentarily forgotten. "I thought you watched it?" she asked.

"I did," he confirmed with a brisk nod, "not that there was much _to_ watch." He reached around her, leaning forward to type on his computer. She settled into his lap, back pressed to his front as she let him work around her. It was oddly cozy the way his arms boxed her in and his chin rested on her shoulder so he could see the screen. "Whatever incompetent bonehead they had running this Op," he growled, "couldn't even do his job right."

She realized what he must be referring to and sighed. "Yeah, they lost visual on us for a good ten minutes."

"Not only that," he fumed, "but they only accessed the mainframe. If I'd been there you never would have gotten hurt." He pulled up the operation file on his screen, bringing the video to full screen. "There's no reason they shouldn't have been able to pinpoint all of the guards. They had radios on them god damnit. Two minutes and I'd have them pinpointed _exactly_," he pointed deftly to one of the guards, "it was fucking amateur hour in there."

Alicia felt odd watching her and Roan on the screen, their figures darting through the trees towards the estate. "Wow," she breathed, shaking her head, "so this is what it looks like being up in Ops."

"Normally," he muttered, "it looks much better." As if proving his point the screen changed quickly, the image disappearing just as Roan and Alicia took their position by the doors. Instead a map that looked like a blueprint showed up on the screen. "See," he growled, jabbing his finger towards the screen, "fucking useless." She watched, listening to the chatter coming from the speakers. It was like being in the Op all over again, hearing the fellow agents and the people back in Operations but not being able to see who was speaking. She vaguely picked up on Percy barking commands in the background, something she hadn't noticed during the commotion on the field.

"That's when I knew for sure you weren't in the Command Center, even if you weren't on the Op," she admitted, watching the little blips that displayed the agents moving around on the screen. "When the cameras went down and stayed down all I kept thinking was: if Birkhoff was here this wouldn't be happening."

"Damn straight," he growled, placing a chaste kiss on her neck before shifting to fast forward the video. "Twenty two minutes," Birkhoff scoffed as he noted the time it took for the visual to reappear on the screen, "it took me less time to hack into Percy's file to get this useless video."

Alicia watched with wide eyes as she followed herself on the screen. She and Roan had just turned the corner to come face to face with a guard. "Is that really what I look like?" she marveled, watching as she engaged the man. "It's like an action movie," she breathed, "like some assassin flick that shows on a Friday night."

Birkhoff laughed, moving his face to look down and over at her. "You do realize you're an assassin," he mused, "employed by a secret group of the government, right?"

She laughed, shaking her head as she realized he was right. "Well when you put it like _that_," she teased, "I guess my life is a little like a movie plot." She would have turned to grin at him, but instead she was absorbed with watching Roan. At the time she hadn't realized that he'd just stood back and watched her take care of the guard, stepping up just as she killed the man as though they were a well oiled unit. He could have stepped in, but he'd seen that she had it handled and had let her do her thing.

They both watched in silence as on screen Alicia followed Roan down the hall. As she knew they would the three guards appeared and once more she was stunned to see herself. On the screen she looked so graceful and deadly it almost shocked her. When she saw herself being cut she winced reflexively. Nevertheless, she and Roan moved so fluently together that it was almost eerie. In the narrow hall they could have easily caught one another with their attacks. But they hadn't, and instead moved in perfect coordination as though they'd always worked together. When Roan's cool voice gave her the simple one word order of _Go_ Birkhoff jumped beneath her.

"There!" Birkhoff exclaimed, pointing towards the screen. "Right _there_," he jabbed his finger again for emphasis, "just what the hell was _that_?" She didn't understand why he seemed so astonished, even as she heard the surprised barking of Percy clearly in the background. Before she could ask though, he was already explaining. "Since when does the terminator handle the henchmen and let someone else proceed to the boss level?"

Alicia gave a little chuckle at his question. "He knew I could handle it," she responded easily, "when the cameras weren't up we worked really well together. I think he trusts me."

"_Trusts _you?" he asked, flabbergasted. Birkhoff had been with Division long enough to Roan was a death machine. As many whispers came from the recruits about Birkhoff being a nerd, an equal amount were about how Roan had virtually no soul. "Just what is in that smile of yours anyways," he asked, remembering how he'd seen Roan's lips actually twitch upwards in her presence, "_fairy dust?_"

While she would have liked to flash him one of those fairy dust smiles, she found herself drawn into the image on the screen. It was almost surreal to hear herself speaking through the speakers as she lied to the man who had the gun pointed at her. _I give a good performance,_ she mused, being able to see firsthand the way her movements had looked, _I'll give myself that._ "God," she breathed, "no wonder he underestimated me. I really do look like some crazy street girl."

"How did you know he wouldn't shoot you?" Birkhoff asked, looking down towards Alicia in his lap.

"I didn't," she admitted. "I just went with the only course of action I could come up with. To be honest I thought at any moment the guards would be shooting in the hall and the gig would be up," Alicia recalled the worry she'd felt, even as she watched her convincing performance on the screen. "What happened with that anyways?" she asked, knowing if anyone could tell her it would be Birkhoff.

"Roan took them out," he filled her in. He'd watched the Op from every angle the moment he'd gotten his hands on it. "He was outside the door waiting right about. . ." he paused, watching the screen, "_now_." On the monitor Alicia had just started to engage the man with the wild punches she'd used to lure him away from the gun he'd set on the end table. "Didn't even try the door handle," he shook his head, "just gave you time to work your magic."

"Told you he trusts me," she teased, nudging him with her shoulder which was already up against his chest.

They both watched in silence as she engaged the primary objective in _real_ combat. It lasted a good five minutes, even though it had only felt like a few heartbeats to Alicia. It was like a well choreographed dance, the two of them moving in almost perfect unison. When she struck he blocked, when he struck she blocked. Then there was the kick, a move she'd learned from Michael, which had followed her flawless fake. The man dodged it in a way that one could only do if they'd been trained for that _specific_ move. There was a pause as the pair were visibly taken aback followed by Alicia's voice. "You're _Division_," she breathed, the Agent's voice clearly mirroring hers in the background.

Instantly Percy's voice was tearing through the speakers. Alicia knew what came next, but it still floored her to watch as she proceeded to kill the rogue Division Agent who happened to be her primary target. Birkhoff closed the window the moment she stepped away from the lifeless body. For a long time he was quiet, and Alicia was as well as she just stared blankly at the screen. Watching herself she didn't know whether to be pleased or shocked that it had appeared as though she had kept her head during the kill. If anything, the calm expression she wore as she'd climbed from him had looked like Roan's personal flavor of impassive.

"If I was there," Birkhoff's voice came, "I _never_ would have let you go in without knowing." The cold edge to his tone caused her to peel her eyes from the blank screen, turning to meet his awaiting gaze. "I didn't recognize the Agent," he rumbled, "but I would have looked further into the target. I would have told you."

She gave a small smile, nodding her head. Alicia knew he spoke the truth. "Percy didn't want me to know," she informed him in a soft voice, "it was supposed to come as a shock."

"Why would he send _you_ on a suicide mission? You're-"

"It wasn't," she cut his growl short. She hated seeing him so upset. "That's why Roan was there; to make the final kill. He was the only one who knew the primary objective's covert status. Michael said," Alicia took a little breath before continuing, "Michael said that the _test_ was to see how I reacted when the man recognized Roan before cancelling him. I was never the one who was supposed to do it."

Birkhoff couldn't contain his rage at that piece of information. He could almost feel the fire in his eyes as he scowled. "Micheal-"

"-didn't know," Alicia finished for him quickly, cutting his poisonous tone short. "He came to me after I was done in medical. He assured me he'd never send me in blind," she calmed him down, "and that it'll never happen again."

One look in her emerald eyes and he knew that she was telling the truth. He let a slow breath out through his teeth, wrapping his arms around her waist to bury his head into her neck. "Did he happen to tell you what Percy wanted?" his lips moved against her skin as he asked.

"No," she took a little breath as she prepared herself, "because Amanda already had." Her night had been plagued with dreams of Birkhoff finding out she was sent to spy on him _before_ she had the chance to tell him. It had been terrible.

"Amanda?" he asked, drawing his head away from her neck to look down at her. "_Amanda_ was in on it too?" Birkhoff growled. "Why was _I_ the only one left out?"

It took her a second to decide how to tell him. "Okay, do you want the bad news first, or the good news?"

"Bad," he answered without hesitation. Birkhoff snuck in a quick peck, smiling wryly afterwards. "I liked your reasons," he gave a little shrug.

"Okay, but remember-" she warned, "it will be followed by good."

He rolled his eyes at this. "I figured that part out," he couldn't help but scoff.

Alicia nodded her head, rounding up the words in her mind before starting. "I was given a new assignment," she started off with the basics, "by Amanda. She told me that you and Nikita were. . . close. And, well, she thinks that you may have divulged certain information that aided in her betrayal."

She'd barely gotten the words out before he jumped in. "She thinks I'm a traitor?! It's _her_ fault that Nikita left," he snapped. "I'm the _only_ thing keeping Division together. If it wasn't for me-"

"Seymour!" Alicia cut him off, turning in his lap so she could face him. "Amanda didn't put it like that. Trust me, that was my initial reaction too," she calmed him down, resting a hand on his chest. She met his eyes, waiting to see if he was going to let her continue. When he gave a little nod she knew she had the go ahead to continue on. "She seems to believe that you may have been tricked into giving the information. That Nikita," she _hated_ saying the woman's name, "somehow worked it out of you without you knowing what she'd do with it."

"So she thinks I'm an idiot," he grimaced. "How would I have made it in Division this long if I dropped vital information to every hot recruit that came through my door?" Hearing Amanda's opinion on the whole thing was like a slap to the face. He'd devoted his life to his work ever since he was first drafted, as he liked to call it. There wasn't a day that went by that he wasn't doing something or another for work. In fact, he'd put in time every _single_ day since the first day he was made the head of the IT department. And sure, he may have leaked a little information he shouldn't have during the six years they worked together, but it was _never_ anything that would have suggested leaving Division. Alicia's patient green eyes on him drew his attention from the angry thoughts, and he realized he'd glossed over something. "Wait, what does this have to do with you?"

He watched as she swallowed, looking apprehensive to continue on. "I've been assigned to spy on you so to say," her eyes flickered away, "to gain your trust and see if you'll give me anything that could potentially be used to betray Division."

The way she avoided his eyes, confirmed his suspicions the moment they formed. "She never even _considered_ I'd say no," he demanded angrily, "did she?" First the dragon lady calls him a traitor, and _then_ she has the audacity to try to prove it with a pretty face? _Because I'm a computer nerd,_ he fumed, _I'm obviously going to go after everything with two legs! That witch, I would have rather she just spit fire._ It was impossible to hide the fury he was feeling, even when she finally met his eyes. "Why _you_?" he demanded.

"I-" Alicia backed away a little at the rage written all over his face, "I asked her why she thought you'd trust me," she mumbled. "She said-"

He stopped her before she could continue. "I didn't mean it like that," Birkhoff apologized, reaching up to tuck a strand of her auburn hair back behind her ear. One look at the expression she wore and he'd realized that she'd taken his question the wrong way. It hadn't even occurred to him when he'd said it that she could take it personally. Surely she had to realize that everyone would agree she was out of his league.

"Why _did_ you decide to trust me?" she asked softly, truly curious. It had been something she was wondering for a long time. At the same time he considered her too good for him, she believed it to be visa versa.

Those wide green eyes of hers nearly broke his heart, and he let out a breath to clear the anger he had been brewing for Amanda. It wasn't Alicia's fault that the woman was a pain in his ass. So he decided the best way to rectify the situation to tell the truth. "You remember that little stunt you pulled," he asked, "where you snuck out of bed?" She nodded. "Why did you do it?"

"I wanted to find out what you were hiding from me," she replied slowly, not sure how her question had led to his.

"Right," he nodded, "but instead of just talking to me when you saw me next you crept into the lab at night. Why?"

Brows furrowed she gave him a puzzled look. "I couldn't just ask you normally. Either you were teasing me, or it was something you weren't supposed to tell me," she explained, still not understanding where he was going with this. "If it was something you could get in trouble for telling me I didn't want to risk someone hearing me ask in the first place. If they knew you had even mentioned it Amanda might-" she paused, changing her train of thought, "Well, I knew Amanda seemed to have some vendetta against you. I didn't want to leave anything to chance."

"You put yourself at risk to try and keep me from taking any," Seymour smiled giving his a head a little shake. "I don't think anyone's ever done that before, not for me."

She blinked in surprise at this being his reason. "My sneaking around," she stared at him in disbelief, "is what made you trust me?"

"Well, that and you're a total babe," he teased. When she laughed he relaxed, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, so bad news is Amanda thinks I'm a loose lipped horn dog," Birkhoff had to roll his eyes at this. "What's the good news?"

"Amanda doesn't expect you to just spill the beans," Alicia was happy to get to this part, "she expects it to take time. She doesn't just want me to spy on you, she expects me to win you over." She leaned forward picking up the abandoned tablet. "You wanted to know what's on here," she held it up, "well, it's full of information on _you_. I haven't looked at it yet, but I'd bet Alfred it contains where you go when you're not at work."

Birkhoff caught on fast. "If your assignment is _me_, then that means Amanda will expect to see you with me," he breathed the revelation out loud, "It would be more suspicious for us _not_ to be together than for us to be together." He could hardly believe his ears. It almost seemed too good to be true. "But we all know Division's Lesson One," he muttered, shaking his head, "she can't expect me to start a relationship with you."

"Yeah, I brought that up to her. She said that while relationships are forbidden you're well aware that _relations_ aren't," Alicia felt a little embarrassed to put it like that, but she didn't know how else to. Unfortunately it seemed Amanda had phrased it the best way possible. "And apparently she's going to have a talk with you," she shrugged, still not sure quite what Amanda had in mind, "one that will make it so you _won't be able to resist_- her words."

For a long minute he stared at her, taking in her face. "You know," he grinned, pulling her in closer, "I think your good news trumps mine."

"For once being Amanda's _pet_ is actually paying off," she beamed at him. After a second her smile fell a little bit. "That's what they're calling me now, you know. When I was on the Op it was pretty clear I'm not a very popular person. They all thought I was just some innocent little face, good only for being Amanda's number one floozy for hire," she sighed, shaking her head.

"Watch yourself," he growled playfully, placing a firm kiss on her lips before pulling back, "that's _my_ girl you're talking about." Alicia laughed, the sound warming his heart. He had never dreamt he would get so lucky, especially not thanks to Division. The assignment changed _everything_. Suddenly, it seemed like maybe his cloud _did_ have a silver lining. Rather, a platinum one. Alicia was something special, a mystery that he planned to solve. And now, now he had the means to do it. He scanned over her face, taking in her sparkling emerald eyes, before realizing something. "You told me about the assignment," he observed, "even after hearing Amanda's reason for it."

"You may manipulate the system, but you're no traitor Seymour. I never doubted you for a second," she answered his unasked question. His eyes had already asked it for him. "You've devoted your _life_ to Division. Even if you somehow did give this Nikita an idea for how to successfully go rouge," she shrugged, "I know it was never your intention. Amanda won't find any dirt where there's none to be found, and seeing as I don't plan on going anywhere there won't be any information to incriminate you."

Birkhoff didn't hesitate to pull her into a kiss, strong arms holding his flush against his body. He didn't think he'd ever get enough of this happy feeling. It was as new to him as Alicia was to relationships. A thought sparked and he pulled back, grinning down into her beautiful face. "Do you know what this means?" he asked, without any intention of waiting for her answer. "I can take you out and show you off," his eyes twinkled at the idea of it. "How would you like to go on a date with _the_ Shadow Walker?"

She couldn't contain her happiness, seeing past his playfulness and instead focusing on the excitement in those navy eyes of his. The one thing she'd been most excited about upon receiving the assignment just happened to be the first Birkhoff brought up. "I'd love to," she couldn't resist running her fingers through his hair as she stared straight into his eyes. "You know, I could get used to this whole dating a genius thing."


	10. Do Your Homework

"So what's the plan stan?" Birkhoff asked in between bites. Alicia had been so kind as to make breakfast, and now that he had some food in his stomach he was feeling ready to face the day. He was used to going without sleep, working at Division that had become commonplace in his life, and he'd shrugged off her suggestion to catch some shut eye. She gave in easily and he was rewarded with a stack of pancakes just begging to be drowned in syrup. If he didn't know better she really _was_ spying on him. After all, treatment this good wasn't something that he'd ever expected to be a part of _his_ life.

She looked over at him, setting down the cup of milk she'd just finished. "Amanda reinstated my break so I don't have to worry about being called into work, but she did tell me to go over the information on you today," Alicia answered honestly. She couldn't help but glance over at the tablet that sat discarded on the far end of the couch. While she'd agreed they could eat in the living room, she had insisted they at least move the technical equipment to the side. It was kind of cute how Birkhoff was so childish in a lot of ways. He may be a number of years older than her, but the way he poured the syrup over the pancakes and she hadn't been able to help but tease _would you like some pancakes with that syrup?_

"Get ready to have your mind _blown_," he smirked over at her.

"It's already blown," she laughed, getting to her feet. She swiftly gathered up the empty plates, only moments after he'd finished off the rest of his food. "You should have seen my face when she brought up the assignment," Alicia continued talking to him even as she strode into the open kitchen. As she knew he would, he'd gotten right back to his computer the moment she got up. Nevertheless she knew he was listening. "After a little stare off with Roan in medical she turns to me and goes, _What do you know about Seymour Birkhoff?_" Alicia mimicked Amanda's tone of voice, and Birkhoff snorted he was so surprised at how well she was able to do it.

"What did you tell her?" he asked, shooting the question over his shoulder. As much as he would have loved to spend the day lazing around with Alicia he knew that wasn't possible. Instead he was back on Division servers, running his routine checks.

"Oh you know, just what the recruits have passed around about you," she shrugged.

Now he was truly curious. "Like what?" Birkhoff pressed. He knew that Alicia was aware of all the pretty things said about him. He also knew that she clearly didn't take any of them to heart. If she thought he was just some pathetic, reclusive, computer nerd then she wouldn't currently be washing the dishes after having just made him a scrumptious breakfast with a smile on her face.

In the kitchen she paused, trying to think back on the moment. She'd been so startled by the unexpected question that she had scrambled for an answer. "That you were saved from prison by Percy-"

"They know about that?" he cut her off, surprised. As far as he knew he was a bit of a mystery around Division. The only ones who could his information other than him were Percy and Amanda. Even Michael didn't know what his file contained.

"Well, it only makes sense. It's no secret that all of the recruits are plucked from prison or situations that would only end in death. After all," she glanced back at him, "isn't that why they call it getting a second chance?"

While Birkhoff knew that there were some more shady methods Division had gone about in order to get some of their current Agents, he didn't feel the need to disclose that information. It wasn't important after all. She was right, protocol typically called for the prospective recruits to be in dire situations. "I've been in so long," he laughed, "that I've heard speculation I was born in Division."

"You mean you're not a test tube baby?" Alicia shook her head, smiling as she thought back to all the outlandish tales the recruits told. Seymour Birkhoff was somewhat of a hot topic back in Division. Compared to all of the serious faced Agents that wandered the halls he always seemed so out of place. "Because that's what I heard."

"Babe," he grinned at the computer screen in front of him, "this genius is _all me_."

Alicia chuckled from the kitchen. She knew that despite his little interruption he expected her to continue on. "Let's see, what else," she paused, thinking back on the moment. As she slipped the rinsed dishes into the dishwasher she could hear his fingers flying away on the keyboard, sparking a memory. "Oh, that you were a hacker before Division," she teased, waiting for his reaction.

"Just _a_ hacker?" he scoffed.

It was fun getting him riled up. The man loved to brag, and she could understand why. He was a damned computer whisperer for crying out loud. So, when she walked back into the living room, she came up behind the couch instead of joining him on it. "Oh no, of course not," Alicia smiled as she placed her hands on his shoulders. One glance at the screen and she could tell that he was in the middle of work. The interface wasn't one she recognized, but when she caught a few of the words that were passing by she realized he must be doing something related to Division. "Everyone knows your name," she lowered her mouth to his ear to whisper the last part, "_Shadow Walker."_

The way she said it sent a shiver down his spine, and if he wasn't in the middle of rotating the security protocol for the hour he would have stolen a kiss. "I love it when you say my name," he grinned instead. The happiness was fleeting however, for soon a window popped up to inform him of yet _another_ thing he had to look into. Birkhoff groaned. _All work and no play_, he thought sourly, _makes me a dull boy._ It was rare that he got an entire day away from Division and he had wanted to spend it with Alicia. It seemed like he was going to have to settle for just spending it _around_ her instead of _with_ her.

Before he could let it get to him, the sensation of Alicia's hands massaging his shoulders cleared his mind. This time when he groaned it was in pleasure. Tilting his head forward a little, he offered up more of his sore muscles without thinking twice. She got right on it, fingers expertly kneading away. "This isn't distracting you," she asked softly, "is it?"

"Not at all," he dismissed her question quickly.

She smiled, happily continuing to massage his shoulders and his neck. The moment she'd seen how tense he was she hadn't been able to resist the urge to do something to help. Truthfully, she was probably enjoying it more than he was. Seeing him at work always made her heart beat faster. Something about the man being hard at work behind a computer was just so _sexy_. Alicia had never considered what her type would be before, but now she felt if anyone was it then it was Birkhoff. His playful attitude, his snarky comments and the way he put his brain to use made her all the more attracted to him. She didn't understand how anyone could ever think any differently.

The first time she'd met him he'd been behind a computer, which was only fitting considering he was her IT instructor. As the recruits filed in he hadn't so much as looked up. Instead he was intently focused on his screen, hunched over with his glasses slipping down his nose. His hair had been a tousled mess, a few strands falling around his face. One look at him and it was clear that he was in the middle of something. As the students all took their seats she'd been unable to stop from sneaking a glance his way. She was curious to know what he was working on. Whatever it was he quickly finished, for before long he was on his feet and addressing the class in the belittling fashion he was known for.

Every class she had with him she paid rapt attention. Alicia had a very limited history with computers. The only time she'd ever had access to them was at local libraries or if the person she was crashing with that week was nice enough to offer her its use. When she used them it was for one purpose and one purpose only; to track down her uncle. It had taken her six years to finally get to him. Two days under Birkhoff's instruction and she marveled over his genius. If she had Birkhoff at her disposal she would have been able to have her uncle's whereabouts in six minutes, not six years.

However, she didn't let how masterfully he owned with computers fool her. She knew that, while the man made it look easy, the work he did was utterly complex. It didn't take a genius to see how stressful his work was. And yet it seemed like she was the only one who did. While everyone else was making snide comments about the man behind his back, she was only thinking of him with respect. No one else could ever comprehend the work that he did. She knew that she sure as hell couldn't. It was for this reason that she'd been thoroughly impressed with him since day one.

Alicia finished working out all of the knots that she could reach before pulling her hands from his shoulders. "Better?" she asked the moment his fingers paused on the keys.

"Much." Birkhoff rolled his head, stretching out his neck in wonder. "If I didn't know better," he teased, "I'd say you were a masseuse in your past life."

"But you do know better," she muttered, drawing her hands back. Sometimes she wondered what Seymour thought of her. With his unrestricted access to Division's servers, her information was only a few clicks away. While she didn't have any sort of a paper trail during her time on the run, she knew better than to believe they didn't piece together her movements on their own. If anything it was the lack of information that looked so bad. A girl moving from place to place, never staying anywhere long and never having a place of her own could bring a number of ideas to mind.

Though she would have rather learned about Seymour Birkhoff from the man himself, she knew that she couldn't- not yet. If Amanda asked her any questions on the information it would look mighty suspicious if she knew material not contained in the files. She doubted there'd be a quiz, but to be on the safe side it would be better to be able to discern the difference between the data on the tablet and what she learned firsthand. So, prepared to learn more about the man she was in a secret relationship with, she plucked the tablet from the end of the couch.

"Is it story time?" Birkhoff asked, shooting her a mischievous smile.

The eagerness to his voice made her laugh, despite having no idea what he was talking about. "I thought you didn't need a nap?" she teased, dropping onto the couch near him.

He shot her a little look, peering over the glasses that had slid down his nose. "You've got homework," he ignored her question, "and I want to know what the dragon lady has on me."

"You mean you don't know what's in your file?" she couldn't help but voice her surprise, and perhaps disbelief.

"There are Division's files, and then there are Amanda's," he informed her bitterly. "She keeps her _mind voodoo_ sessions separate," he wiggled his fingers as he said this, and Alicia cracked a smile, "while the rest of us deal in _facts_."

"So you've never peeked?" Alicia pressed. She knew regardless of where Amanda's files were stored that Birkhoff could access them. She doubted there was _anything_ he couldn't get his hands on if he set his mind on it. After all, he'd hacked into Percy's personal files just that morning. If he could get into the head honcho's private data then getting into the resident psychiatrist's would be easy.

"I already know she hates my guts. I've never felt the need to read about it," with a chuckle he pushed his glasses back up his nose.

Alicia turned on the tablet, watching the start up screen as it booted. "Why does she hate you so much? I mean," she nudged him playfully, "_besides_ you possibly being a traitor and all."

"She's got a major hard on for Percy, and he trusted _me_ with finding prospective recruits. Ever since the day he had me make the program to handle the nitty gritty of narrowing down the fields," he relaxed back in the couch, done with his work for the moment, "she became the wicked witch of the west." After flashing a glance to Alicia he slipped his arm over her shoulder, drawing her closer. He knew she'd sat a little away so as not to interfere with his work and wanted to let her know that wasn't necessary, as thoughtful as it was.

This was news to her. _Birkhoff's the one who found me?_ It came a shock to learn he had been the one who had made her second chance possible. "Amanda wanted to pick the recruits?" she asked, not all that surprised if that was the case.

"She was in charge of it before I came along. Well, for the most part," he filled her in. "It was Percy who found me. I think he was tired of having to go out and handpick ones he found useful. You know Amanda," he sneered, "she's more interested in how _she_ can use Agents than anything else. Percy only allows it because he doles out the missions where her approach is necessary to her when they come up. Unfortunately _sometimes_ her mind games are required."

Alicia knew better than anyone how Amanda enjoyed utilizing her favorites. While she spent a fair amount of time with each and every member of Division, picking around inside of their heads, there were those she found more promise in than others. The title of _Amanda's Pet_ carried the burden of being looked at differently by other Agents. Knowing it was her looks and ability to morph into whatever character the mission called for that made Amanda like her so much, Alicia could just picture what Division would be like if it was run by the woman. Still, Birkhoff being behind the selection process brought a few questions to mind. "So," she asked casually, "what is it you look for in a prospective?"

Looking down into her green eyes he knew _exactly_ what was on her mind. "You mean why _you_?" he prompted her with a little smile. The look on her face was answer enough and he didn't hesitate to fill her in. She may as well know what was in her file; it was about her after all. "You fit the profile of what we look for; it's as simple as that. The basic formula for my program popping you out," Birkhoff shrugged, "is pretty simple. First box to check was your situation. Division recruits those who have substantial prison terms to serve, are on death row or _would _be if it wasn't for us. More importantly though is that you wouldn't be missed. Not having any family ties or nosey friends who would be looking for you makes our job a whole lot easier. We can't have someone searching for someone who, for all intents and purposes, is dead after all."

He felt a little bad to be the one to tell her this. It seemed so impersonal when he thought about it, and truthfully he never had before. "Next are the circumstances that put you there. What stuck out about you weren't just your crimes or how you went about committing them, but that you evaded authorities for six years. That's a feat in itself, but the fact you did it without any paper trail shows you've got smarts," he pushed a few strands of hair back behind his ear, "and for Division that means potential. After that it's more superficial. In shape? Check. Attractive? Check. In the proper age range? Check."

When he put it like that it did make sense. "So, it's that simple?" she questioned.

"Well, after my program flags you as a prospective you go to Amanda. She looks into whether you're mentally stable and such," he snorted, "not that she rejects the crazies. Everyone has their uses after all. From then on it's all on Percy. He makes the final cut and sends Michael to go pick up Division's new asset."

"If that's all there is to it I'm surprised there aren't more of us. I mean," she looked up at him, "these days there are a lot of people that fit that description, aren't there?"

Birkhoff nodded, knowing full well how many there were. "We try our best to pick the winners. But sometimes even we get it wrong. Training isn't just to prepare you," he explained, "it's also to weed out those not up to the task. Scrubs who can't pass the basics don't last very long in Division."

"You mean-"

"Cancelation," he nodded. "Well, that or a suicide mission. We can't exactly return them to where we found them when we had to document their deaths to get them out in the first place. You could say," he grinned, "you're dead the second you step in Division."

Alicia laughed, shaking her head as she did. As morbid as the whole thing was, when it was relayed to her in Birkhoff's teasing tone she couldn't help but see the funny side to it. "So, how did I die?" she was curious to know.

Seeing as Birkhoff was the one who handled the task of fabricating the deaths of all recruits he knee hers by heart. "Quite poetic really. After successfully killing the man you'd hunted down for six years" a smile was growing on his face as he said it, "you committed suicide. Seppuku to be exact."

For a moment her face was blank, and he watched as she slowly absorbed this information. "You mean to say I _disemboweled_ myself?" she asked in astonishment.

He let out a laugh, pleasantly surprised she knew what the term meant. "Well your weapon of choice _was_ a mean dagger," he shrugged, smirking, "and I thought it would be a good way for you to go, all things considered. Your mission accomplished you exterminated yourself with honor before you could face sentencing."

"So how many of my fellow Divisionites," she smirked at the term she'd just come up with as well as the topic of conversation, "have taken the samurai's way out?"

It only took Birkhoff a second to think about it. "Only you," he kissed her nose playfully, "I guess you could say I knew you were special before I ever met you. Man, am I a genius or what?"

She laughed openly, positively glowing. Looking at the pair it would've been impossible to guess they'd just been talking about her suicide, fabricated or not. "How about you, how did _you_ die?"

Before he could answer her he remembered just what the device she had resting in her lap held. "Take a look and find out," he tapped the tablet.

Alicia had forgotten all about her assignment, but the moment she lifted the device it all came rushing back. "What all do you think is on here?" she asked, scanning over the icons.

"No clue," he admitted.

"Well there's only one way to find out," she breathed, tapping on the icon that could only hold the information in question. When she was greeted with familiar black interface that the Division's servers used she knew she was in the right place. A directory appeared with only one option to choose from. Her eyes flickered over to Birkhoff, and their eyes met. After a little nod from him, she returned her attention to the screen and clicked on the words **Seymour Birkhoff**.

A picture of a much younger Birkhoff took over the screen, lingering for a moment before zooming out to rest in the upper left hand corner. "I _hate_ that picture," he groaned.

"You look so young!" she marveled. Her eyes were still on the picture, not paying attention to the rest of the data quickly appearing.

"I was _seventeen__eighteen_ when that picture was taken," he complained, "had barely been in Division for two seconds when Amanda snapped it and saved my file." Birkhoff reached up, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. A big reason he never revisited his file after the first time he'd accessed it was because, unlike everything else at Division, he had no control over it. Whatever went into it was strictly up to Percy and, unfortunately, Amanda. Making any changes to it would have only elicited their anger. "They update all Active's photos once a year, or whenever your appearance changes, but it's just a file extension. Your main one," he grumbled, "always remains the same."

At the mention of this her eyes quickly found the file in question. Before he could protest she clicked on it, and one after one his photos appeared in a grid. As he moved to commandeer the tablet she swiftly turned her back on him, holding it out of reach. Her eyes danced over the photos, counting them out as she went. "You've been in _sixteen__fifteen_ years?" she asked in awe. She'd heard that Birkhoff was a long-time member of Division, but she hadn't known it was _that_ long.

"FifteenFourteen," he corrected her, making another swipe for the tablet. Alicia moved quickly, clambering under his arms to the other side of the couch. He gave her a sour look, which only made her smile all the more. "When I got my contacts they updated the picture," he explained, "ergo sixteenfifteen pictures, fifteenfourteen years."

While she was listening to him, her eyes were down on the screen. Kneeling on the couch, she rested back to sit on her calves as she enlarged one of the pictures. Her eyes danced over the image, taking in Seymour's young face. At seventeeneighteen he'd looked so boyishly cute, his hair the same long messy style it was now. With a smile on her face she flicked through the pictures, watching Birkhoff grow up right before her eyes. As the years went on he lost some of the youthful thickness of his face, but not all. Over the years his stubble came and went, never getting longer that an inch. His eyes seemed to lose some shine, almost changing color with how they seemed to morph from glittering cobalt to a more serious shade of navy blue. She could see how Division had matured him.

"What happened your fourth year?" she asked, flicking back to the picture. It stood out from all of the rest. His hair had been trimmed, but it was more than just the haircut that made him look different. He looked a touch pale, eyes a little bloodshot and his expression was very solemn. Unlike in the rest of photos he didn't look frustrated at having his photo taken, rather he looked nervous.

Birkhoff grimaced at her. He wasn't self conscious about his appearance so to speak, but he didn't like the photos he knew were in his file. While he'd only ever seen three of them before, he'd been there when they were being taken and he knew just how unhappy he'd been to have them done. Broody pictures weren't appealing, not for anyone. "Michael had told me the day before I'd be going along on my first Op," he groaned, "which you would _know_ if you were doing your homework instead of playing around."

"Your first Op?" she looked up to him from the pictures, eyes sparkling.

She looked so adorable, kneeling like that. And the expression she was giving him, like she was just _dying_ to know, made him smile despite himself. "_No_, the first Op I went along on instead of manning it from the safety of Operations," he corrected her. "Now get over here," Birkhoff motioned for her with a pulling of his finger, "and stop goofing off or you'll never get anything done."

"But Seymour, you look so _cute_," she gushed, grinning down at the photos. She'd never kept a photo of anyone from her life, not after she lost her mother, and it felt nice to have a few of Birkhoff. It didn't matter that they were Division issued snapshots. They were of Seymour and that was all that mattered. Alicia would have told him that if it didn't sound so sappy and sentimental. But really, it's not like she'd ever be allowed to have a picture of him by normal means. This assignment was revealing more and more benefits by the second.

Birkhoff just raised his brows, tilting his head in impatience. Without another word she obeyed his command from earlier, crawling back to his side. She settled in, pulling his arm down over her shoulder as she took her place against him. He smiled in amusement as she begrudgingly backed out of the photographs. "Treat it like any other assignment," he warned her before she could decide what to open next, "because I know how the dragon lady works. What does she do _every _time you have a target?"

"We go over my approach based on the information I've received," she sighed, knowing he was right. For a second she stared down at the file before going over all of the basic information. To the right of his picture was a fairly simple list. It stated his birthday followed by his age: **32**, his gender: **Male**, his height: **5' 8"**, his weight: **150lbs**. . . . she scanned over all of the remaining data, committing it to memory. Alicia knew that she had to take this seriously or risk them being discovered, but it was hard to do when the man she was currently reading up on was right beside her. She'd just finished going over the page when Birkhoff's computer chimed.

He flashed it a look, drawing his arm from her with a groan. "Looks like we've both got homework," Seymour muttered as he reached for the mouse. With a few clicks his suspicions were confirmed. Once more Division called for his attention. He chanced a look over at Alicia only to find his picture on her screen once more. "Okay that's it chika," he snatched it away, holding it up and out of reach as he scowled at the picture on the screen, "your tablet rights have been revoked."

"Hey!" she yelped, reaching for it. He moved it quickly, holding it off to the side instead. "All I did was open a different folder," Alicia complained, "that's it."

Birkhoff stared at the picture as he held the tablet at arm's length. "What is this shit? She's been having me _followed_?" his eyes narrowed in angrily at the picture. Alicia was right; she hadn't gone back to looking at the yearly photos. The image on his screen was that of him coming out of his favorite comic shop. What bothered him was that he had no way of knowing when _this_ picture had been taken. He'd been going there for years.

"That's a traffic-cam photo Seymour," she pointed out. As she knew it would, calling him by his first name caused his expression to relax a little and he examined the picture to judge her claim. "Of course Division is going to want pictures of where you frequent," Alicia continued, slipping onto her knees beside him. Even as he was reminding himself this was true, she started to make a move for the tablet once more. She reached over him, having to place a hand on the cushion on the other side of him for stabilization as she deftly plucked it from his grasp.

"It's just," he ran a hand over his hair, "usually I'm the stalk_**er**_ not the stalk_**ee**_."

She set the tablet down on the couch, flicking her finger over the display to back up a screen. "Well, get used to it. Amanda was nice enough to provide me with a complete list of where you go," Alicia informed him what the file in question contained, "along with timetables. Looks like you've been a stalk_**ee**_ for quite some time bub."

A little trill came from his computers speakers once more, and Birkhoff reached over her back to the mouse. He found himself temporarily distracted from the conversation as he pulled up the alert and started to type out commands. Work called for his attention and he couldn't afford to deny it. There was no one else who would, or even _could_, do his job for him. He was so absorbed in his work he didn't even notice when Alicia eased off of her hands and knees.

She settled instead on her stomach, lying across Seymour's lap. Whatever was in the cream that Division had provided was working, and her injury didn't even sting as she put pressure on it. Her feet went up in the air, and she propped her head up with one hand, using the other to flick the screen of the tablet that lay on the couch. It was oddly comfortable, and when Birkhoff rested his forearms over her back as he assaulted the keys she smiled.

It didn't take her long to get absorbed in the information. With every sentence she read she pieced together more information about him not as a target, but as a person. _Every girlfriend should get something like this_, she mused. It was easy to get a picture of just who Seymour Birkhoff was as she took in the data. Alicia had a secret in, having already spent enough time with the man to begin to understand him, and all of the information gave her more insight than it would anyone else who looked at it. His likes, his dislikes and his history were all displayed right in front of her.

By the time Birkhoff had the issue that had called for his attention under control, Alicia was already well underway with her reading. He looked down at her, sprawled across him, and smirked at his luck. There wasn't any point in asking if her stomach hurt; he knew she'd insist it didn't. As much as it pained him to know she'd gotten hurt on her Op he also knew that his worry was irrational. She was right in saying it was just a scratch. Compared to some of the injuries she'd received as a recruit during training it was nothing. Division wasn't exactly gentle on their personnel.

His hand found the small of her back, and he gently hitched up her shirt, tracing patterns on her skin as he went. "Anything interesting?" he asked, gazing down at the flawless skin of her back. It had been quite some time since he'd last been with a woman, and he most certainly had never been with one in the way he was with Alicia. He'd had a romp or two with a few of the techies over the years, and had even managed a handful of one night stands when out on the town. But none of them had been anywhere close to as beautiful as Alicia, and he'd certainly never had the chance to be casual and relaxed around them. Cuddling wasn't something Seymour Birkhoff had ever known before.

"Interesting is an understatement," she mused, "I mean really Birkhoff; the Pentagon? You hacked into the Pentagon?!"

He grinned at the awe in her voice. "That I did. From my dormroom no less," he chuckled.

"And that's how you wound up in prison," Alicia murmured, "where Percy was already waiting to snatch you up."

"I only got caught because I got cocky. I was so busy covering my own tracks as I hacked my way in I totally forgot about the college servers," he grimaced at the memory of it. If he'd only taken the time to think about it then it would have been a problem easily solved. Truth be told he was so invested in getting into their system that he had gotten sloppy.

He watched as she shook her head, continuing on in her research even as she talked to him. "Why did you do it? All of the other things attached to your Shadow Walker alias are digital attacks on government agencies. Where does accessing the Pentagon's security systems fit it?" she asked, truly curious.

"I was proving a point. Sending a message. Showing them that us _cyber bullies_ could get to them," Birkhoff smirked, "just as easily as they were claiming they could get to us. Their security systems were a symbol and I tagged Shadow Walker all over the sucker." Her laugh was full of admiration and awe as she shook her head, her auburn hair falling to hang over her shoulders. He grinned, thoroughly pleased with himself. Having her impressed with him was a good feeling and he considered his ego now thoroughly stroked. "Anything else?" he asked, truly curious now.

"Let's just say all my suspicions have been confirmed," Alicia sighed in response.

His finger froze on her back, his attention now focused on the back of her head. "Oh, and what _pray tell_ were those?"

"That there's no way you and I would ever be together in the real world," she replied sounding almost defeated. He couldn't wrap his head around her answer, but there wasn't any time to ask for an explanation. Alicia was kind enough to start providing one on her own. "I mean look at all this stuff. Even before Division you were a legend. If it wasn't for getting caught you were clearly headed towards big things. No wonder Percy couldn't wait to get his hands on you," she marveled. After flicking her screen and pausing to read something she continued to talk, despite the fact she was still going over his information. "With all the hacks you did it would only be natural to assume you have some money hidden away. And from your _cars_ comment," she tucked some hair behind her ear, "I take it that _some_ is closer to _tons_."

He waited for more, but she'd fallen silent. Working over what she said, he still couldn't quite grasp what she was trying to get at. "What does that have to do with a potential _us_?" Birkhoff urged her to finish the thought. While he agreed they'd never have ended up together if it wasn't for their unusual circumstances, he didn't understand_ her_ reasoning behind it.

"You broke into the Pentagon at _seventeen_ Birkhoff," she gave a little laugh as though the answer was obvious, "from your college dorm room. If you hadn't gotten caught imagine where you'd be now. You'd be filthy rich, and the alias _Shadow Walke_r well known as some sort of modern day Robin Hood."

"A: I'm going to use that sometime," he laughed, liking the sound of it already. But, as much as he liked hearing her praise him, he still didn't see where she was headed with it. "And B: How does any of that affect us?"

This time she looked over her shoulder, turning her green eyes to take in his face. Alicia scanned over his expression once, then twice, as though trying to decide if he was being serious. When she realized he was, she shook her head in disbelief. "What would a wealthy legend be doing with the likes of me?" she scoffed, rolling her eyes before turning back to the tablet.

"Uh _hello_," he chimed, "have you _seen_ yourself?"

"Oh _puh-lease_ Seymour. Face it; you'd never look twice at me in the real world. So what if I've got a pretty face?" she asked, sounding amused. "I'd still be a girl on the run wanted for _three murders_. You know what they say: _Ain't no rest for the wicked._ I'd always be looking over my shoulder with a burden to carry. And you," Alicia gave a little laugh, "_you_ would be up in your ivory tower eating bon bons and saving the world."

The second it sunk in he was staring at her with mouth open. "You're saying _I_ would be too good for _you_?" Birkhoff asked with a laugh.

"Well now that I think about it, no. What I'm saying," she looked back over her shoulder to him, "is that you already _are_ too good for me." When he just stared at her like she was crazy she just once more rolled her eyes. _For a genius_, she mused, _he sure doesn't catch on fast. _Turning back to the tablet she shrugged her shoulders at his obliviousness to their situation. "Birkhoff you're the head of the IT department of a secret government organization which you singlehandedly built the system for, not to mention an all around braniac. Me," she smiled, "I was just lucky enough to be selected by your program."

"I think you should get your head checked with Amanda," he scoffed.

"You may want to take that back," she teased, "because apparently she's not very good at her job. She has it written here that you have a god-complex. From what I'm hearing that's not true."

He laughed, shaking his head. Alicia truly was one in a million. Deciding there was no reason to insist that _she_ was the one out of _his_ league, he let the conversation drop. All that mattered was that she clearly wanted him and he knew damn well how much he wanted her. Who was better than who really didn't matter. What _was_ important was that he currently had a beautiful girl on his lap and he was the fool that was disagreeing with her. While his fingers resumed tracing patterns over the smooth skin of her back he thought over what she'd said. "While you sit there and go over my information," he couldn't help but ask, "do you mind if I poke your brain a bit?"

She thought he'd never ask, and hid her smile as she stared down at the words on the tablet. "No, not at all," she responded nonchalantly.

"How did you become _a girl on the run, wanted for three murders_," he mirrored her words back at her, sincerely curious. He had been dying to know. A girl like Alicia didn't become a killer for no reason.

Alicia paused, considering how to answer this. While she'd wanted him to ask about her past so he could understand who she was, regardless of her title as a murdered, she hadn't thought of how she'd go about answering. "Do you want to hear it the long way," she asked, "or the short way?"

"With you? _Any_ which way," he purred, slipping his hand onto her ass and giving a squeeze. When she laughed in response he smirked, leaving his hand where it had come to rest. "I want you to spill_ all_ the beans," he answered more seriously this time, "since you get my entire file I think it's only fair."

"My dad died when I was pretty young; drug overdose. So as you can tell, I wasn't exactly brought up in sunshine valley," she started at the beginning. Flicking the screen, she moved on to the next tidbit of information on him even as she talked. "My dad's brother, my uncle Clark, moved in and he and my mom shacked up so to speak. I stayed away from home as much as I could, seeing as the two were both drug heads. I took care of myself and stayed out of their way. Really things weren't as bad as they could have been, all things considered. Clark was an asshole," she grimaced just thinking about him, "and even that is an understatement. When he lost his job he got my mom all doped up and _rented_ her out to two of his friends for the night."

Talking about it some of the anger came back, but nothing like she used to feel when she thought of that night. Amanda, despite all of her nasty sides, had worked with Alicia since day one on her past. She'd helped her to see that what had happened was a long time coming and she'd been the only reasonable one of the bunch. "I sat in my room thinking of all the ways I'd like to kill them, but I didn't do a _thing_ to stop it. When I came out in the morning for school," she exhaled a low breath, "my mom wasn't breathing and the two assholes were passed out from the drugs. I just snapped. I went into the kitchen and I took a knife and I-" Alicia paused before deciding not to go _too_ far into the details, "well, you know what happened. I cut em up and hit the road."

Birkhoff listened intently, staring towards the back of her head. He'd heard a lot of stories over his years at Division. All things considered Alicia was right; it wasn't as bad as it could have been. She wouldn't have been the first recruit to have been molested, abused or worse; sold into the sex trade. While he was glad that wasn't the case with her, he couldn't help but wish there had been some way of finding her _before_ all of this happened to her.

"By the time I had gotten far enough to breathe I realized that I wasn't done. I had to find Clark, I just _had_ to. There wasn't anything else left for me anymore. I was already screwed, and I figured if I was going to go down then it would be with a bang. You know the rest," she shrugged, "I found him, killed him and waited for the men in blue to take me away."

He sat and absorbed her story. Though he didn't know what he expected her history to have contained he was nevertheless surprised. The official police reports for the original two reported murders had painted the killings as being chillingly precise. Birkhoff had looked over the files himself; he'd seen the photos of the crime scene. It hadn't looked like a crime of passion but rather a cold calculated murder scene. Looking at the beautiful girl that lay so casually over his lap it was hard to believe she'd been capable of such things _before_ Division had sunk their teeth into her. While his curiosities on her crimes were sated, he wasn't done with her yet. "How did you manage to remain under the radar so long?" he asked.

"It was easy really," she shrugged, "I just floated." Alicia had finished the task of researching Birkhoff and rolled over on the couch, sitting instead with her knees drawn up over his lap, leaning back on her elbows as she looked to him. "I used my arsenal of fairy dust smiles," she flashed him one of said smiles as she spoke, "and charmed people into letting me stay with them. That's why I'm so good at cooking, massages and paying attention to the little details. Instead of using my body I used my head to find places to stay. By the time they wanted to take things the next step I'd already be gone. The only times it got anywhere was when I wanted it to, but I'd always split before they could get attached. I guess you could say I shared Division's view on things. Lesson One of successfully surviving without complications: no relationships."

He felt like a huge weight had lifted from his shoulders. While Seymour never would have blamed her if she'd had to sleep around in order to survive, he was beyond pleased to find out this wasn't the case. Once more he couldn't help but realize how incredibly lucky he'd been that she'd persisted in those disarming smiles of hers. Picturing life without her was just sad. He took her in with a sweep of his eyes, before realizing she had discarded the tablet. "You done reading up on me?" he asked, eyes sparkling.

She nodded. "Yeah. Oh, and you should know that now I've got a hotline direct to your tracker," Alicia rose her brows, flashing him a playful smile, "not that it matters what with you being able to hack your signal in your sleep."

"Well, what would you like to do now sweetcheeks? I've currently got a break in work it would seem," he asked, glad that it seemed they would be able to get some time together.

He watched as she smirked, gently biting on her lip as she tilted her head and stared up at him. With wide emerald eyes perfectly laced with mischief she only took a moment to think about the question. "Wanna make out," her voice was playfully seductive as she stared straight into his eyes, "_Shadow Walker_?"

Birkhoff let out a little growl, moving toward her without hesitation. "I thought you'd never ask," he purred, his voice husky. His lips met hers, bodies shifting as he positioned himself over her. She was just slender enough, and the couch just wide enough, for his knees to fit just perfectly on either side of her hips as he kept his weight off of her. One had slipped up to the side of her head, fingers lacing into her hair.

Alicia accepted him, the kiss quickly heating up. She eased her back down onto the couch as he lowered his torso to follow her. The moment her head hit the cushion her hands found the fronts of his shoulders, resting against the warm muscle that lay hidden beneath the cotton tee. Though according to Amanda's file Birkhoff didn't have much experience with women, he was an expert kisser. She could feel herself melting into him as the kiss was deepened, tongues dancing fervently with each others. His warmth surrounded her, followed soon after by his sent. Birkhoff smelt gently of fine cologne, a surprisingly dark and almost spicy sent that sent a shiver down her spine. No one would ever expect the computer nerd to be the suave man that Alicia had come to know.

Her hands traveled down his chest, slowly taking in the firm wall of muscle that was _hers_. She loved that thought, and when her hands found the hem of his shirt she wasted no time in slipping them underneath it. Though Birkhoff wasn't the chiseled, perfectly cut muscle that the activeActive Agents were, he was still in great shape. As her hands traveled up his shirt she splayed her fingers out, wanting to feel every inch of him that she could. There was a hunger burning in her gut, and it was for Birkhoff. She couldn't explain it, but the man drove her completely crazy.

Gliding over his warm skin her hands moved instead to roam up his back, hitching the graphic tee shirt up as she went. The second her hands came to rest on his shoulder blades he pulled his mouth back. His navy blue eyes met hers, a spark passing between them, and he backed away from her to slip his shirt up and over his head. For a moment Alicia was frozen, staring up at him. She took a mental picture, filing it away.

Seymour couldn't believe that his lust was perfectly reflected in her eyes. He didn't quite understand how this beautiful girl could want _him_ when she was surrounded by candidates for GQ on a daily basis. But for once he took Amanda's advice. _Never question a gift_, he thought, smirking, _it's rude. _The silly woman hadn't even known that she had given him a present by throwing Alicia in his path, but he was going to happily accept it nonetheless.


	11. Operation Wedding Crashers

With a glance to the mirrored wall, Alicia straightened the hems of the white tank tops she wore before filing from the elevator. She'd been in the middle of shopping for movies when the tablet had gone off in her purse. In the week that she'd been carrying the thing around with her it had never made a sound before. Amanda said that she would update her on the assignment, and Alicia had just assumed she meant via the tablet. It turned out she was right, for when she withdrew it from her purse there was a message waiting for her. The order was simple: report to Amanda in Division.

While she had considered changing into something a little more official, she had decided there was no reason to waste any time. Birkhoff had been called back to work to take care of a problem, no surprise there, and he'd been in Division ever since. Amanda's assignment granted them more freedom to see each other, but that couldn't be put to use until the entire thing was actually in motion. It wasn't the first time Alicia had felt a flutter of eagerness to attend briefing, but it was the first time she'd felt it for a personal reason and not just to earn her second chance. Though the couple had been able to sneak in a few conversations on **ShadowStalker** they weren't as satisfying as the real thing. She'd never had anyone to miss before and now that she did she couldn't wait to get back to him.

Elevator doors sliding closed behind her, Alicia found herself standing at the edge of the training room. Recruits were hard at work assaulting punching dummies, sparring on the mats and working up a sweat exercising. One look and she picked up on the fact they were at an in between period. There were none of the trainers around, Michael included, and the way recruits talked lightly with each other was a clear giveaway that they weren't in the middle of a class. She remembered how she'd spent her free time on the treadmill, working on her cardio as Samson lifted weights and talked to her. Looking at the active training room made her realize part of her missed being a recruit. At least then she'd been able to see Birkhoff twice a day every day.

When she became aware of a few eyes flickering over to her in interest she realized she'd been standing there staring at the group. It wasn't the daydreaming that had caught their attention; no, it was her status as an Agent. Any time an Active passed through the recruit floor it was commonplace they'd attract attention. Talk and speculation were the closest the recruits got to what occurred up in Operations. But, as an Agent, Alicia had firsthand experience of what went on in the Command Center and that made her worth watching. After all, maybe they'd be able to overhear some juicy tidbit of information if they paid close enough attention.

Ignoring their eyes she strode along the edge of the room and up the stairs, disappearing not in the direction of Operations but rather Amanda's office. Passing through the halls she suddenly wished she had thought to bring some sort of shawl. Division wasn't cold, but the muted tones and cement walls gave it a dreary feeling that seemed to cling to her bones. The second she reached Amanda's office she gently rapped her knuckles on the closed door. She couldn't wait to leave the hollow feeling hallway and slip into Amanda's comfortable office. While the room was whitewashed and spacious it was one of the few rooms that were furnished, however slightly. The door clicked open and Alicia wasted no time in slipping into the room, closing the door behind her.

"Alicia," the woman greeted her with a smile, "please, make yourself comfortable." Amanda's room was constantly changing, the only thing that remained the same being the vanity against the far wall. This time there was a pastel green couch on which she was perched, her manicured hand motioning towards the matching feinting couch across from it. Between the set was an elegant glass table, a small luncheon setting laid out.

She didn't need to be told twice and smiled as she happily obliged. Alicia settled down across from Amanda, eyes meeting hers with a sparkle. "Every time I step foot in here I feel like I'm walking into a dream," she marveled. Her eyes danced around the clean, white room. The relative emptiness of the large space wasn't intimidating but rather calming. It struck her that this must be what it felt like to reside on a cloud.

Amanda's lips were still up in a smile and unlike the ones she usually wore this one reached her eyes. She had been having a frustrating time with the new handful of recruits that had come in, and this was a much needed break. It was draining to go through the same old song and dance with batch after batch of young men and women that Percy sent her way. Ninety percent were problematic for their first two weeks, either needing to go through detox or simply fighting with her every step of the way. Half of the remaining ten percent simply didn't grasp what was happening to them and fell out of the program before even being able to begin. That only left five percent who welcomed the opportunity that was being handed to them and tried their hardest from the beginning. Alicia had been one of the few who clicked with Division the moment Michael had finished with his welcome wagon.

As she chattered with Alicia she could feel her spirits lightening. It was one thing for the recruits and Agents to accept and appreciate the gift being given them, but it was another thing all together for them to understand it in its entirety. The young woman who sat across from her, sharing in the light luncheon, was truly a breath of fresh air. She was always so _eager_ to please. There was never a moment of hesitation or question when it came to this particular Agent. Every task that was assigned to her she completed with pleasure. While everyone at Division followed their orders, and those who didn't weren't around long; it was a nice change to have someone who thoroughly enjoyed to.

Nevertheless, Amanda felt sorry for the girl. She knew that when Alicia had been explained the rare opportunity she was getting all the months ago she never imagined she'd be stuck doing _this_. Really, she considered it distasteful even by _her_ standards. "Have you had sufficient time to go over your Intel?" she asked the moment their little conversation on how Alicia's wound was healing came to an end. When Alicia nodded, Amanda flashed her sad smile. "While I would usually trust you to formulate an approach on your own," she dabbed at the corner of her mouth with a napkin before continuing, "with this assignment that is not the case. This is no simple in and out. We are not dealing with the typical wealthy hoodlums your missions so often entail."

She looked at Alicia for a long moment, once more feeling sorry for the girl. "No, _Seymour_," his name tasted bitter on her lips, "is a special case. While he may be what the recruits so frequently call him, a _computer geek_, he is much more than that. You see Birkhoff does not fall under the category that one may place him in at first glance." Amanda stopped talking, pressing a button on the remote that had been resting just beside her on the couch. She waited for a moment, giving Alicia a patient smile, before a soft rap came on the door. Another press of a button and the door to her room clicked open.

A small woman walked in, expertly avoiding looking at anything but the small glass table as she approached it. Without a word she gathered up the remnants of the luncheon, placing it on a large white tray, before slipping out of the room just as quietly as she'd come in. Amanda was a woman who ran her life with calculated precision. She liked everything to be in place and everything to go according to plan. There was no time for mess or unexpected surprises in her demanding life. She had her hands full with all of the tasks being Percy's second carried. Between molding the recruits into something useful, her routine assessments of the Division staff and all of the Operations she personally oversaw; she was _always_ busy.

This little pet project of hers was one of the few things that she looked forward to. As regretful as she was for using Alicia in such a distasteful way, she knew that it was beyond necessary. If anyone could produce results then it was the young woman who sat across from her, waiting for her to continue. "Where was I?" she asked sweetly.

"You were explaining how Birkhoff isn't what he appears," Alicia prompted her politely.

Amanda didn't miss a beat, picking up where she left off. "At first glance he is quite the stereotype. Other than technology he's not particularly skilled in anything, making him a recluse. He is a man who spends his free time with his nose pressed either to a screen or the page of a comic book. You could say," she smiled an evil smile, "Seymour never grew up. His life has been spent surrounded by electronics and so he never developed proper people skills. He is self centered and childish. Everything is a media reference to him, and he hides behind cynical humor to move the attention away from his other shortcomings."

She knew from her tone of voice that it was clear she despised the man, regardless of the sickly sweet attitude she'd taken on. The man was infuriating, and she couldn't wait to take him down a notch. Even if Percy was right and Birkhoff _wasn't_ a traitor she'd still get satisfaction at the end of this ordeal. Knocking him down a peg would please her greatly. "But do not let this fool you. Despite his unappealing personality," she continued on, "and the fact that it is paired with an equally disappointing appearance, he is indeed a genius. Seymour's greatest asset is his brain, and that is something he is _incredibly _proud of. He retains a god-complex when it comes to his abilities. He finds pleasure in bragging about his own work. _This_ is his greatest weakness."

Across from her Alicia listened with rapt attention. Despite the anger that was twisting in her gut her expression held nothing but interest. Amanda, on the other hand, was positively beaming. Her eyes had taken on the sheen of a predator before a kill. "Your approach is simple; think like Seymour. You will overlook all of his faults. To you they do not exist, and he will just as happily forget them. Instead you will stroke his ego. You will think of him not as Seymour Birkhoff but _Shadow Walker_, as he so ridiculously continues to refer to himself as. It is imperative you make it clear you are not interested in _him_ but rather his alias. You see," she tilted her head taking in Alicia with an appreciative sweep of her eyes, "he would never dream of being capable of attracting someone like you. He would, however, expect it of Shadow Walker."

She could see the recognition of what she was saying flicker through the green eyes of Alicia before her. It pleased her to see, and she gave a nod to confirm her suspicions. "Seymour is too intelligent to believe you would be interested in him. Your approach is to make it apparent that you _aren't_ attracted to him. You're merely turned on by his hacker alias. It will be clear that you have no romantic interest in him but rather," Amanda's flashed a wicked smile, "it is his _name_ that is a trophy for you."

Getting to her feet she motioned for Alicia to follow. She obeyed without hesitation, following the woman over to the vanity. "You are beautiful Alicia," she crooned, sitting the younger woman in the chair, "and we will use that to our advantage." Standing behind her, Amanda stared at their reflection in the mirror. She ran a hand slowly down Alicia's soft waves of hair, letting her hand come to rest on her shoulder. "You are known for your smiles as you are well aware. However," she leaned forward, a scheming smile directed at Alicia in the mirror, "it may surprise you to know that many consider them to be not natural but rather a skill you obtained from me. As unkind as that may seem it is ideal for your assignment. You will shed your innocence and reveal it as nothing more than a mask to Seymour."

The slight surprise that played across Alicia's expression was exactly what she'd been hoping for. Her plan was ingenious, and when she smiled there was that deadly gleam in her cold eyes. "You see, I know Birkhoff better than he knows himself. He will hungrily eat up your supposed lust for his past accomplishments, but that is not enough to gain his trust. More than just a pretty face is required when it comes to getting into a genius' head," Amanda baited her.

Right on cue Alicia asked, "What do you need me to do?"

As always the girl's eagerness to please elated her, and she stepped away from the chair. Clasping her hands together she paced instead to stand beside Alicia, smiling icily down at her. "You are attracted to _Shadow Walker_," she hated calling him by that and sneered as she did so, "and impartial to Seymour; this is very important to remember Alicia. When you reveal how irresistible you find his old hacker alias you will act aloof about the man himself. You will make him feel as though he is a conquest, not an interest. Doing so you will draw out his _need_ to get your approval. He will be driven to show you that he still is this Shadow Walker, and that Seymour Birkhoff hasn't lost his oomph. He will try to impress you and win you over. Of this I am certain."

While Amanda had been basking in her plan as she spoke, Alicia had been using all of her energy to refrain from scowling. _No wonder he calls her dragon lady,_ she thought sourly. Hearing the woman belittle Birkhoff had been grating at her nerves. Worse yet was the news that she wasn't just supposed to seduce Seymour, but she was supposed to act as though she were _using_ him. "Making him strive to impress me will present opportunities to uncover what potentially dangerous information he has on Division," Alicia acknowledged that she understood the plan.

"Precisely," Amanda beamed down at Alicia, once more running her hand over the young woman's soft hair. She knew that she had chosen the right tool for the job in selecting Alicia. The girl's quick understanding paired with her eagerness to serve was ideal. While Percy's little test had gone terribly awry, it had accomplished what it was intended to. No one could question the young woman's devotion to Division and for this particular task that was specifically necessary. The assignment had the potential of revealing sensitive information to the young Operative, and there was no room for questioning her loyalty.

"What is my timetable?" she asked softly.

Amanda was once more pleased by her unwavering acceptance. "You will begin the moment you leave this room. When we are finished here you can find him in Operations," she smiled coyly, "where it just so happensyou will be aiding in a mission he is overseeing. Use this opportunity to express your interest in watching how he works. Maintain your usual charming attitude. You will refrain from showing disdain until I deem the time right. Understood?"

Alicia nodded, a mix of emotions going through her. If Birkhoff had been upset when she'd mentioned that Amanda wanted her to seduce him, she didn't want to imagine how angry he'd be at learning about her order to look down at him as well. _I should have known better than to get my hopes up_.Amanda withdrew her hand from Alicia's hair, and she turned to look up at the woman. "He'll look back at my friendliness as a means to get close to him," she informed the woman she understood what the purpose of her order was, "so he'll be less suspicious in the later stages." The smile she got in return was confirmation. Looking at it like any other assignment she had to admit that Amanda was as thorough as ever.

"Over the course of the next few weeks you will get close to Seymour. I've had it arranged so that you will be a part of his new team. As I mentioned before he used to work closely with Michael and Nikita. We will recreate his attachment with Nikita by putting you in his care, much as she was. The other member of your team will play a role in stirring his interest through jealousy, though he holds no knowledge of your assignment," Amanda informed her. She'd been planning this Operation for months, before Alicia was even part of a picture. The moment she laid eyes on that disarming smile, she knew she had found the one she'd been waiting for.

While she had never imagined that the young woman would break Birkhoff from his sour mood, it had been a satisfying development. It almost seemed as though Alicia had been sent to her just for this purpose. She had no doubts the young woman would succeed at her assignment. There was no way that Birkhoff wouldn't be thrilled to have such an attractive and talented girl show desire for his alter ego. While Amanda found it positively asinine that after fifteen years he was _still _referring to himself by his old hacker name, it did make her job that much easier.

"We will keep in communication via the tablet you have been provided. I will expect an update once a week on how he is responding to you. This will take time," she started towards the door and Alicia followed her lead, rising from the chair, "of that I am certain. Nikita had six years during which she could have gathered the required information for her betrayal. While I don't expect it to take that long for us to come to our final conclusion on Seymour's involvement, I cannot provide you with a timetable as of yet." The pair stopped before the door and Amanda smiled at Alicia once more. "Any questions or concerns?"

Alicia shook her head, returning the smile with her own famously disarming brand. "Absolutely none," she dismissed the question easily.

"You will receive updates on how to proceed when I feel the time is right. Until then," she opened the door, her burgundy lips reaching upwards, "go; be brilliant."

Not needing to be told twice Alicia strode from the room, making her way down the grey hall. She didn't let out the breath she'd been holding until the sound of Amanda's door clicking closed bounced off the walls. At her side her hand balled into a fist. Never before had she felt any ill will towards the woman, but suddenly she shared in Birkhoff's strong dislike of the _dragon lady_. It prickled each and every nerve in her body as she recounted what the woman had said about Seymour. Her opinion of the man was beyond infuriating. If she wasn't so good at playing her role then she would have snapped at the woman. Had they not been in Division, had they been in a _normal_ situation and not the twisted one they were- she would have taught the snarky woman a thing or two.

So Birkhoff wasn't about to win any awards for his looks, so what? That didn't matter to Alicia, not in the least. He was attractive to her, more attractive than any of the other males that littered the halls of Division. The boyish quality to his face, long messy hair and casual attire made him all the more desirable to Alicia. She couldn't explain what it was about him that drew her in so completely, but she happily accepted it. Birkhoff was well muscled, but he wasn't defined like the other men Division spat out. In fact, his slight softness wasn't something she looked down on; it was something she found she desired. It was his slightly stocky build, muscles beneath a small layer of padding, which made him so damned comfortable. When he held her in his arms she could feel the press of those strong arms as she melted into his embrace. _If I wanted a washboard,_ she thought bitterly, _I would go buy one._

What Amanda had called _childish_ Alicia considered better described as playful. She loved his sarcastic comments and witty humor, and the media references were utterly endearing. He never ceased to make her smile; in fact she was smiling just thinking about him. Before she knew it her feet had carried her through the halls and straight up to the man who was on her mind.

"_Where_ is my energy beverage?" Birkhoff was barking out just as the doors to Operations closed behind her.

A techie on the other side of the room scrambled to his feet, but only after meeting the glances of all the others who were busy with work trying to decide who had to go get it this time. Smiling to herself she stopped the man with a hand on his shoulder. "I've got it," she let him know, trying not to laugh at his startled expression. It took him a moment to process what she was staying, staring at her in surprise, before visibly relaxing. He gave her a thankful nod before slinking back to his station. Shaking her head in amusement she crossed over to the refrigerator that was stocked with Birkhoff's stock of energy drinks. It struck her as funny that Division supplied him with as many of the caffeinated beverages that it would take to keep him running.

Snatching a can she strolled back over to Birkhoff's station. She set it down in front of him, hiding her smile as she looked down at him with brows raised. He didn't so much as blink, his eyes were so focused on the screen, and instead just plucked the can from the desk. "Took you long enough," he grumbled, clearly in a bad mood.

"Sorry," she responded lightly, instantly drawing his attention, "I had to fight a techie for the honor."

Birkhoff blinked up at her, astounded by her sudden appearance. "What are _you_ doing here?" he asked, a little more roughly than he intended to. He'd been burning the candles at both ends lately and to say he was on edge was an understatement. As happy as he was to see Alicia in person for the first time in a week, he couldn't forget their precarious situation. He'd never gone against Division before, but it wasn't him that he was worried about. If he got caught having a relationship with Alicia he'd be punished, he didn't doubt that for a second. But he wasn't expendable, not like Alicia was. She may be Amanda's pet but he was Percy's; and the bossman beat out dragon lady handsdown.

"Agent Alicia reporting for duty sir," she gave him a playful mock salute.

He stared at her for a moment before it clicked. "_You're_ the help they sent?" Birkhoff asked, not hiding his astonishment.

"Try to contain your enthusiasm," Alicia shot back, scoffing.

"I didn't mean-"

"Whatever," she shrugged, cutting him off before he could apologize, "so what do you need me to do?" She knew exactly how he'd meant it, and he picked up on that fact quickly. It was times like this she really was glad that he was a genius. _So much for having no social skills,_ she thought smugly as he fell into his usual air of cockiness.

"_Move_," Birkhoff turned to the techie who occupied the station nearest him, making a shooing motion with his hands.

While the techie turned, his attention successfully gained, Birkhoff's computer had chimed demanding his attention. Alicia watched the man's mouth open and quickly close, as he held back a comment. One look at the other man's screen and she quickly put two and two together. "Ignore him," she rolled her eyes, speaking to the man who'd been ordered to move. "What are you working on?" Alicia asked, sidling up to the blonde haired man's side.

He looked up at her for a second before returning his eyes to the screen she was already focused on. "I'm going over video feeds," the man explained. Seeing as she was an Active Agent who'd been given access to Operations, there was no reason to hide his work from her. It was just grunt work to begin with.

"What's your search field?" she pressed on, eyes scanning the windows he had active.

"Simple track job," he responded, eyes flickering back up to her, "taking note of who is coming and going." With a click of the mouse he pulled a screen to the forefront, giving her the details. "The Mansford hotel, time range of seven months. Searching for repeat visitors," he filled her in before pulling up a new window, "and I'm two months in."

"What's the timestamp you're on right now?" Alicia asked, giving a nod to show she understood.

The blonde techie didn't even bother to ask why she was questioning him on his work. It wasn't the first time he'd seen Alicia, though it was definitely the first time he'd ever spoken to her. He'd provided support on two of her missions, albeit he'd played a very small role. Birkhoff, however, had been a prominent player in those two missions and he already knew the Head IT had a soft spot for her. So he relayed the information without delay. When he looked up to see if she had any more questions she was already gone.

Alicia slipped into an empty station, pulling up all of the windows for him. Having Birkhoff as a teacher sure paid off when it came to working technology, and before long she was returning to the man's side. Just in time too, Birkhoff had just turned to talk to her to find the man was still there. Before he could get out a biting comment Alicia commandeered the situation. "I have you all set up over here," she flashed the nervous man a winning smile, "no time lost."

The flabbergasted expression he wore as he got to his feet was very rewarding, and he followed her to the station in question without a word. When he looked at the screen, notepad filled with scribbles in hand, he was pleasantly surprised to see she was telling the truth. "Thanks," he gave her a small smile, as though it was a new and dangerous adventure for his lips to rise.

"No problem," Alicia returned it with her famous smile. "Don't let old Birkhoff scare you," she teased as he settled into his desk, well aware of Birkhoff's eyes on them, "it's not the full moon yet so you should be safe."

He gave a surprised chuckle at her comment, a little life flickering into his cool blue eyes. "I'll keep that in mind," he responded, laying the pad down on the desk. While the other techies all had a good working relationship with one another it wasn't every day an Agent was friendly. The young woman's reputation preceded her though, and he had the feeling that he was going to be seeing a lot of her. Lord knows she'd been on his screen more than enough times. "It's Clint," he spoke up before she could disappear, "by the way."

"Alicia," she returned his introduction, knowing that he more than likely already knew that. "Happy hunting Clint," Alicia couldn't help but tilt her head, shooting a little amused smile his way before returning to the scowling man behind the computer.

"Making friends?" Seymour asked, keeping his voice casual. It didn't bother him that it was a good looking man she'd been talking to, it was the fact he was his inferior. The last thing he needed was for her to become chummy with them. He didn't want to put her in a bad spot when he snapped at them, and their fake relationship – or whatever the hell it was Amanda had planned – was underway. Despite the girl being a deadly assassin he knew better than anyone the big heart she had. If it wasn't for the fact she'd been on the run for murder and then drafted into Division she was the type of girl who would have many friends.

"Are those allowed here?" she asked, genuinely curious. "Or is that under the relationship category? They aren't very clear about that in the rules," she muttered, dropping into the seat Clint had been in only a few moments ago.

Birkhoff hunched over his desk, finishing up his current project as he spoke. "It's a bit of a grey area. We're all one big happy family here at Division," he shrugged, "just a family that is always prepared to lose a member."

"So kind of like the mob?"

"We're the guys that take out the mob doll," he snorted.

She stared at him for a moment before rolling her chair up to his, propping her elbows on her knees and resting her chin in her palms. "So what is it you're working on?" Alicia asked, her voice laced with curiosity. She couldn't forget that she was technically on an assignment.

Birkhoff shot her a sidelong glance. It wasn't like her to inquire about his work. "I just finished. Were you briefed on the Op?" Birkhoff asked he exited out of the window. Leaning back in his seat he raised the energy drink to his lips, taking a few big gulps. Alicia being assigned to him had to be a work of the dragon lady. There was no reason for her to be up in Operations just to sit in on an Op. He'd ask Amanda about it later, but he already knew she'd chalk it up to the scratch Alicia had received. Until he talked to Alicia in private he would have to treat her like he would naturally. Despite what everyone said he _had_ been trained just like the rest of them. He knew how to play a role, especially when the role he was playing was that of himself.

"No," she informed him, "so what's the 411?"

Birkhoff gave her a little look, eyes flickering over her in suspicion. Alicia reacted accordingly, straightening herself up as she gave him an innocent smile. He shook his head before returning his attention to the screen. He filled her in on the Operation before pulling up a program and starting to type in instructions. Before long they fell into a natural routine, one that was oddly reminiscent to the days they'd shared together when Alicia was a recruit. Birkhoff was in his natural zone of barking out little orders, giving her pointed commands and prompting her whenever he needed something.

Her part in the Operation was simple: take the files Birkhoff was in the process of commandeering and rewrite their encryptions. While she was no computer whiz, Birkhoff had come to notice she did have one particularly strong suit during his days teaching her. Alicia was merely average in the most of her technological abilities, but when it came to encoding and defense related tasks she was able to shine. Having spent a majority of her life looking over her shoulder and covering her tracks it came naturally for her; even in a virtual world.

More often than not Alicia found herself with nothing to do. He was so completely at home behind a computer that she felt a sort of nostalgia as she watched him work his magic. She didn't even have to fake her interest as she observed him at work. Unlike the basic layout on her screen, Birkhoff's monitor was suddenly filled with complex figures. It reminded her of the time Samson had pressed a key on her screen, only now it wasn't windows popping up; it was folders. For every folder that appeared ten more followed, not stopping there. Stacks within stacks were quickly forming and overtaking the directory Seymour had hacked into. "What just happened?" she asked, eyes darting over to the man.

"I tripped a fail safe," he responded, answering her question despite being absorbed in his work. "It's mimicking exponential growth by mirroring itself," Birkhoff felt the need to explain in more detail. Unlike the pressure of having Percy looming over his shoulder, he enjoyed having Alicia's on his screen.

"How do you know it's just a mirror?" she questioned, the rapidly increasing files looking mighty realistic to her. When he clicked on a file at random, it contained just as many files as the one before. At the rate it was going there'd be a data overload in a matter of minutes.

He focused in on the screen, dragging the windows he had open from sight. They appeared on his left hand monitor, being momentarily set aside as his fingers danced over the keys to type out a string of commands. "Because only one of these babies holds any real data," Birkhoff answered easily. There was no reason for him to feel stress; he knew exactly how to deal with the unexpected problem. "And I know because I used to see this all the time," a wry smile spread over his face as he worked.

The expression wasn't lost on Alicia. She wheeled her chair up beside his, trying to make sense of what he was doing. On the leftmost screen the folders continued to multiply at a steady pace. Before she had the chance to ask any more questions the growing number of files suddenly stopped increasing. Her eyes darted to Birkhoff's main screen to find that he had just woven a complex string of code and sent it out. His fingers continued on, and the next time he hit enter a box prompted for him to accept. "Go ahead," he leaned back, catching the bewildered Alicia by surprise.

When she realized he was motioning towards his now unoccupied mouse her eyes locked in on his in surprise. "Me?" she questioned his intentions.

Birkhoff nodded, pushing the mouse towards her with a finger. "Fire ze lasers," he commanded with a grin.

Not needing to be told twice she obliged his unusual request. Alicia reached over and clicked the mouse, seeing no reason why he couldn't have done it himself. The result was instant, and the screen that had only moments ago been spawning folders was now deleting them at twice the speed. "I hope it was supposed to do that," she murmered, watching with wide eyes.

"Have a little faith in me sweetheart," he teased her with a laugh. Exiting out of his coding windows he dragged the file directory back onto the main screen before relaxing back in his seat to watch. It didn't take long, and he soon had the situation under control – not that he'd lost control to begin with. "And then there was one," he proudly stated, staring at the lone folder that remained on his screen.

The pair looked up as Michael strode purposefully into Operations, filing straight past them and up to one of the techies near the front. "What's this complication?" he questioned, his smoky tone holding an unmistakably irritated tone.

Alicia peeled her eyes from him, focusing once more on Birkhoff. His attention was already directed back to the files he was now downloading, but he could feel her eyes on him nonetheless. "You said you _used_ to see this happen all the time?" she asked, remembering the purpose for her being paired with Birkhoff in the first place.

"Back before my Division days," he filled her in, "I always had my hand in the cookie jar. It wasn't long before they wised up and started using this to try and keep hackers out." Finished with his work he was now able to focus his attention on Alicia beside him. Her green eyes were already waiting, brimming with a curiosity he was more than happy to satisfy. "We called it Kaleidoscoping. You take what you want to hide and you leave it in plain sight, just distort the view. So one file becomes twenty, becomes thirty and so on. It was meant to overwhelm a hacker's server causing them to back out before they ever got a chance to isolate the one, bona fide file. Worked like a charm," he smirked, "except they didn't count on _Shadow Walker_."

"You were the first to beat the system?" she asked in awe.

"The one and _only_," he bragged. "Well, until now," Birkhoff flashed a mischievous grin, "now Shadow Walker's apprentice has as well."

It took a minute for what he was saying to sink in. "All _I_ did was click a button," Alicia pointed out. She wasn't about to take credit for something she hadn't done, as proud as he seemed to appear to be at the mention of her being his so called apprentice. He knew well enough she could never do the hacking aspect of computer manipulation. Her skill was in covering tracks and keeping people _out_ not breaking _in_.

"Sometimes one push of a button can change _everything_," he responded cryptically.

"What do you mean you don't know what went wrong?" Michael's voice cut through the air. He didn't wait for a reply, just pointed up towards the large monitor that loomed down over Operations. "Get me a visual," he instructed. While Alicia knew that more than one Operation often went on at once, especially when they were just computer tasks like the one she'd just helped on, she was surprised by Michael's commanding presence.

The screen was soon displaying a visual of the front entrance to a grand cream colored manor, manned by armed guards. There was a line of immaculately dressed men and women mingling as they waited to be granted entry. "I know that pad," Birkhoff commented, eyes narrowing in on the image.

"We were supposed to be in the clear," Michael grimaced at the screen as he took it in.

"Our Intel said the engagement party wasn't until tomorrow," the techie informed him somberly.

Just like that Birkhoff was on his feet and striding forward. "The Intel is _solid_," he cut in, giving the techie an annoyed glare.

"Apparently not Birkhoff," Michael turned to him, a serious expression on his handsome face.

"I know how to read a date," he snapped back, "and it was set for _tomorrow_."

"Well you must have read wrong," Michael returned, "because clearly it's _today_."

Birkhoff grimaced, crossing his arms over his chest. "I got the Intel myself. It can't be today," he insisted.

Alicia was already behind the men when she decided to speak up. "Birkhoff's right," she spoke up, instantly earning their attention. It was clear her interruption had been unexpected, for she earned taken aback looks from both of the men. "It's not an engagement party," she pointed out, "it's a _wedding_."

Michael's eyes returned to the screen. "It can't be," he dismissed her claim, though he didn't sound remotely certain.

While the two had been bickering Alicia had been watching the screen. "Can you it back a minute?" she asked, turning her eyes to the techie that sat staring at her. He didn't make so much as a move to follow through on her request. From the look in his eyes she could tell that he was trying to figure out what gave her the nerve to butt in on an Operation she wasn't a part of. She would have demanded that he do it, but she caught the visual changing on the screen from the corner of her eye before the command could pass her lips.

"Tell me when to stop," it was Clint's voice that filled the silence instead.

Thankful for him intervening, she watched the screen for what she'd noticed earlier. "There," she had barely gotten out the word before the image was promptly frozen on the monitor. "You see those two women?" she asked, pointing out the two in question. One of the women was just about to be allowed past the guards, and just on the other side of the threshold there was a woman waiting for her. "They're wearing the same dress. This looks like a high class party," she pulled her green eyes from the screen to instead look to Michael, "the chance of two attendees in the same outfit is next to none."

"She's right," once more it was Clint who spoke up, "they're dressed identically." He brought the image in close to show that everything down to the necklaces they donned was the same.

"Who has a surprise wedding?" Birkhoff asked, not denying that she was right. Still, it didn't fit with his Intel. He'd spent a good hour getting everything that was needed for the Op. He knew for a fact that he hadn't gotten the dates wrong.

"Someone who knows there are those invested in stopping the marriage," Michael responded, not missing a beat. "Get me audio," he ordered the techie who had only moments ago ignored Alicia's request. Not a moment later he was handed a headset and asking for the guard count.

Alicia recognized the voice that relayed back the information. "Six at either entrance and six perimeter teams of two," Samson's disembodied voice came through the speaker. While the screen was once more actively displaying the wedding goers, there was no doubt that it was her former fellow recruit that was the responding Active.

"These guys aren't playing around," Birkhoff noted, shaking his head. He'd relaxed a bit once the crazy accusation of him getting the wrong Intel was dismissed.

"We cannot allow the wedding to happen," Michael spoke as much to the pair that stood beside him as his Agent on the headset.

"What is our approach, sir?" Samson's cool voice asked, nonplussed by the situation going awry.

He clicked off his headset before turning to Birkhoff. "Our entire plan is scrapped. Clairment is a high profile target; we can't go in guns blazing. This has to be done quietly," Michael informed the man, "and we can't do that if we don't have eyes."

"There aren't any security cameras inside of the household," Seymour informed him, eyes dancing over the screen, "this guy only deals behind closed doors. He's paranoid if you haven't noticed. I mean _hello_; secret wedding?" As if something suddenly had hit him he was on the move, pulling the back of the chair that the techie sat in. "_Move_," the word hadn't even left his lips before the man was scrambling out of the seat. Birkhoff didn't hesitate to occupy it before cracking his fingers and lowering them to the keys. "Like you said; Clairment is high profile. Secret or not, I bet my bottom dollar he's having his wedding filmed. If he's got cameras," he filled them in on his stroke of genius, "then they'll soon be mine."

"Now all we have to do is get a man inside," Michael nodded briskly.

Alicia hesitated a moment before speaking up. "I can get Samson in," she said, going out on a limb. Agent or not, Michael still outranked her. _Heck,_ she mused, _he even outranks my boyfriend_.

Before she could smile at that thought Michael's cool eyes found hers. He stared at her for a long minute before reaching up and removing the headpiece. "Let's see what you can do," he granted her the opportunity. With a step he was beside her, positioning the headpiece on her ear for you.

"Who's your daddy?" Birkhoff's voice chimed out, the screen splitting into twelve different vantage points from the cameras he'd just accessed.

Michael shot him a dry look even as Alicia smiled. "He needs to get in and out unnoticed. The target is the bride," Michael gave her the little information she'd need to know as he turned back to her. Everything else had been scrapped when the plan had gone awry anyways. When she nodded he pressed her com back on, resting his hand on her shoulder as he gave her a small nod.

"Samson," she spoke into the headset, waiting to make sure he was there before continuing.

"Alicia?" he asked, sounding surprised.

At the sound of his voice filling the com Birkhoff tightened his lips unhappily. He hated the cocky young man, and had successfully avoided working with him so far. Now he didn't have a choice but to sit in on the Operation and handle the technical support. Alicia had stepped to take the lead and he wasn't about to sit back when he knew he could be of help. He watched as Michael gave Alicia a little nod, withdrawing his hand from her shoulder as he handed over the reins. "There's been a change of plans. You will be going in solo," she informed him. Her sweet voice was so cool and confident that even Birkhoff with baited breath to hear how she planned on salvaging the mission.

"Yes mam," the young man's voice was uncharacteristically serious. "The entrances are heavily guarded. How do you suggest I approach?" Samson asked. Apparently he too trusted Alicia to guide him true.

"Situation 12," she prompted him, "do you remember it?"

Birkhoff had no idea what the young woman was referring to, but apparently Samson did. "Don't think I'll ever forget it," a touch of cocky was back in his voice.

That was all she needed to know. "Move to join the line. Red dress," she informed him, "she will be approaching on your nine."

At her words Birkhoff's eyes were once more on his screen. He located Samson approaching the diminishing line with ease and turned his attention to find the woman in the red dress. It was easier said than done. For a wedding there was a surprising amount of red dresses. In fact, if it hadn't been for Alicia spotting the bridesmaids then the entire thing would have been mistaken as an engagement party. Now that he had eyes inside of the manor he knew that she'd been correct in her observation. It was undoubtedly a wedding. Only seconds before Samson turned to talk to the woman did Birkhoff realize she was the one Alicia had been referring to.

It came as a shock to see it was an older woman. Nonetheless on his screen all of Operations watched as Samson suavely gained her attention. From the way she carried herself, her choice of clothing and the way she almost salivated when Samson offered her his arm Birkhoff quickly dubbed her a cougar. Despite the fact that he was one of their Agents, Birkhoff couldn't help but scowl at how easily the young man had her wrapped around his little finger. Even more frustrating was listening to Samson's voice fill Operations. The young man's voice was undeniably smooth, and some of the things he was saying would make a grown woman blush. Evidently she was, for when it was the pair's turn to pass the guards they averted their eyes and tried to casually focus on the next people in line instead.

Seymour turned his gaze to Alicia to find she was intently focused on the screen. Her face was calm and gave nothing away as she stood in the front of Operations, taking in the images on the large display. He couldn't help but want to gain her attention, and so when Samson made it through the front door and showed up on the interior camera he spoke up.

"Operation Wedding Crashers is a go," Birkhoff's voice announced, adjusting the cameras to find the bride and stick to Samson. When he looked back up it was to find Michael was giving him a dry look.

"We are _not_ calling it that," he deadpanned.

But he was already distracted by the small smile Alicia flashed his way. "Too late, I already saved the change," Birkhoff teased the man, earning a full fledged smile from Alicia.

"Well it _is_ fitting," she brushed off Michael's narrow eyed stare he shot her with another smile.

He found he didn't have the will to go against it and gave in with a shake of his head. Both Birkhoff and Alicia were notorious for their playful attitudes and he had a feeling if they teamed up against him he'd be sorry. If it wasn't for the fact at Division he could just imagine the pair on the outside. They'd probably orchestrate some devastating pranks. Michael had seen the two working together, and he picked up bits and pieces of their witty banter. Well, it was witty on Alicia's end. Birkhoff was just Birkhoff. Another thing they had in common was how serious they'd become when work called for it. Teasing abandoned, both of the troublemakers were consumed in their own tasks.

Alicia talked Samson through every step that needed her guidance, coordinating with Birkhoff perfectly on what path to stick to so as not to be lost by the cameras. It wasn't until they lost visual that things became tense for Birkhoff once more. There was nothing he could do but watch and listen as Alicia spoke to Samson, the entire room able to hear the relay of orders and information. He wouldn't have been so tense if it wasn't for the fact half of what the two said seemed to be some sort of code. After a little glance to Michael, who had come to stand near Birkhoff's station to give Alicia room to work, and he couldn't help but poke the man's brain for answers.

"Do _you_ know what Situation 12 is?" he asked, voice unnoticed to anyone but Michael.

He looked over at him, giving a single shake of his head. "Situations are what Amanda calls the exercises she puts her promising recruits through. They're only for the Agents that specialize in her field," he answered.

"You mean her little courses in emotional espionage?" Birkhoff scoffed, knowing what he was referring to. "The woman sure does love her roleplaying games," he muttered, all too aware how true this was.

"Both Samson and Alicia were her star pupils," he acknowledged with a little nod.

"Do you want outside involvement to remain unknown?" Alicia's voice commandeered Michael's attention. His nod was answer enough, and she returned her attention to the screen. "I think our bride has gotten cold feet," her voice sounded playfully disappointed.

"They will be soon," Samson responded, still off screen. It only took a minute of silence before his voice returned once more. "Target down," he confirmed. In record time he was out the door and on his way back to the SUV.

Alicia removed the headset, handing it back to Michael with a confident smile. "Crisis averted," she said lightly, feeling satisfied with herself. It had been surprisingly easy to guide Samson through the mission. He'd gone in without a plan outlined and yet their understanding of each other from hours upon hours of paired training had made it comfortably familiar. She couldn't help but feel a little pride in having successfully stepped up.

Michael smiled, his eyes moving between where Birkhoff sat and Alicia stood. "Congratulations on your first successful Operation as a Team," he informed them in the midst of praising them.

"A Team?" Birkhoff asked, not liking the sound of that.

Amanda's words from earlier flittered into Alicia's mind. She knew what Michael was going to say before he'd even opened his mouth. "Your first Operation together was supposed to be in two weeks, but it seems as though it was meant to be," his eyes landed on Birkhoff's. The frustration in the Head IT's eyes was unmistakable, and Michael returned it with a smirk.


	12. Distractions

Birkhoff stood, leaning forward over his seat as he pulled up **ShadowStalker**. With a click he sent out the video request, strolling away from the computer to his desk as he waited for Alicia to accept it. He picked through a few of the random tech components that littered the desk, before sighing and shaking his head. It'd been quite some time since he'd last been able to whip up some interesting gadget. The best part of his job was when he was able to design something, and lately there'd been no need for his creative skills. No, everything was just another task he had to complete. Getting information and being a cyber king was all fine and dandy but sometimes he just felt like tinkering with components or writing new programs, not dealing with data that already existed. If he ever agreed with Amanda when she said he had a god-complex it would only be in reference in his need to create.

He gave the table a sour look before meandering back to the computer set up. Alicia hadn't answered the request, and as he settled into his computer chair he idly pulled up the elevator feeds. With a few strokes of the keys he had the feed running through one of his programs searching for visitors. It wasn't like her not to answer the call when her laptop was clearly on. Birkhoff already knew she hadn't left for the day. She'd told him just that morning that she planned on relaxing in her apartment to keep her head clear until he called on her next. They had no idea what the Operation, their first assignment together as a Team, would entail. All Birkhoff had been able to find out was that it would be today.

Well, that was until an hour ago. Michael had finally disclosed which Operation the Team had been given, and Birkhoff wanted give Alicia the skinny on the details. She'd filled him in on the developments in the dragon lady's little pet project. Knowing what Amanda had concocted as an approach both enraged and amused him at the same time. The woman was pure evil, and the depth of her twisted little mind games were constantly reaching new levels of crazy. Instead of locking him off and picking at his brain, which he was beyond thankful wasn't the case, she had orchestrated these crazy shenanigans. He couldn't help but wonder how things would have gone if it hadn't been for Alicia.

There was no unusual traffic in the apartment complex, and he closed out of the program to pull up her tracker. **ShadowStalker** continued to request a call on the center monitor, even as he turned his attention to the leftmost one. A few typed commands and Birkhoff had her tracker activated, quickly displaying her location as her apartment. Ignoring the text he opted instead for a map view, zooming in until he pinpointed her position in the living room. He'd always been through, and now was no different. With fingers dancing on the keys he went through the routine he'd quickly acquired ever since his first rendezvous over at her apartment.

Once he was satisfied that she was alone and in close proximity to the laptop her returned to the chat program and cancelled the request. Whatever Alicia was doing must have had her attention, and he unfortunately wasn't a patient man. He had to give her a heads up on the Op before she was called in. Amanda had ordered a progress update once a week from Alicia, and she was due for her next update tonight. Birkhoff trusted in Alicia's acting abilities, but it didn't come as naturally for him. It wasn't hard to keep their working relationship kosher, but throw in Amanda's little scheme and things were a little more complicated.

While he'd hoped he wouldn't have to resort to it he decided now was the time if ever. With a few keystrokes he had remote access to her laptop and was greeted with her image on his screen. A sly smile crept onto his face as he took her in. Alicia sat in the corner of the L shaped couch, legs tucked to the side and a book open in her lap. Her green eyes were focused on the pages, a serene look on her face as she read. She reached up, tucking a stray hair back behind her ear before turning the page. His eyes scanned over her, taking in the oversized sweater she wore. The neck hung low, draped over one shoulder and he wished he was there next to her instead of stuck behind a screen.

Deciding it was time to stop staring at her while she sat unaware that he could see her, he leaned forward in his seat and clicked open the com link. "Paging Agent Alicia," he said in a serious tone. Her body tensed at his voice, gaze breaking away from the book to flicker instead around the empty apartment. "Paging Agent Alicia," he repeated, a wry grin on his face, "you have a call on line one."

She'd been in the middle of reading when Birkhoff's voice startled her out of her reserve. Just when she thought she'd imagined it, his voice came again. Her eyes darted over to the open laptop, blinking in surprise at Birkhoff's amused expression on her screen. "_Birkhoff_?" she asked, flabbergasted at the sight.

The man smiled, watching as she slung her legs over the couch, scooting over on the couch to be situated behind the laptop. "Hey there sunshine," he greeted her playfully, "good book?"

"You-" she stopped shaking her head. Alicia had been caught up in her book, and she knew that _she_ hadn't started up the chat program. She also hadn't accepted any form of a request. "You could have accessed my webcam at any time, couldn't you?" Alicia asked, slightly taken aback.

"Is that a surprise?" Birkhoff asked, enjoying her expression. Spying in on people unnoticed was something he did on a daily basis. It was a necessary part of his job. Still, he was thankful that she didn't appear to be upset at this revelation. Up until now he'd limited checking in on her to the Division issued camera in the keypad to the elevator. He'd never had a reason to patch through directly to her laptop before; she'd always accepted the request.

It honestly wasn't, and she a small laugh of disbelief at the man. "Truthfully I'm more surprised you haven't popped in on me before now," Alicia admitted. She knew firsthand just how easily Seymour could hijack and manipulate feeds. It was part of what made her feel safe enough to let her guard down in the apartment. Her first three weeks away from Division had been torture. Every night she'd go to bed only to wake from nightmares feeling like she had to run. She had to keep reminding herself that no one was after her and that she was free now. The night Birkhoff kissed her was the first night she'd slept soundly. Knowing the genius hacker was watching over her made her feel secure.

"I like making you click accept," he confessed with a smirk.

"And yet you also included a reject option," she smiled, "how polite."

"I have my moments," Birkhoff chuckled. Her casual teasing was something he loved. She understood his sense of humor, unlike the bland idiots at Division, and he shared in hers. Better yet was how completely she'd let her guard down around him. He didn't know when his had fallen, but he knew he could trust Alicia. The feeling was new, and he couldn't explain it, but just felt _right_. "Sorry to interrupt your reading toots, but I've got the specs of our Op."

This had her attention, and she slipped a bookmark into her book before setting it aside. "I'm all ears," Alicia settled into the couch, getting comfortable across from the open laptop. She made no attempt to hide her curiosity. Michael had informed them that they'd be having their first Operation as a new team. Amanda had been tickled pink when she had learned that Alicia had commandeered the mission Samson was on and Birkhoff had jumped in to assist. It hadn't been planned, but it sure had helped for the one she did have.

"It's a simple three man Op; perfect for our new Team status," he grimaced, raking a hand through his tousled chestnut hair. Having Samson as the third member of their team was infuriating. Birkhoff didn't like the Agent for a handful of reasons, but it wouldn't do any good to voice his opposition to the arrangement just yet. "You'll provide a sexy distraction while Samson infiltrates," Birkhoff gave her the low down on the basics of the Operation.

"What's the primary objective?" Alicia questioned. She knew she'd get all the details during briefing, but the more she knew now the more planning she could do. It was no longer as simple as completing a mission and giving Division her all. Every step of the way she had to keep in mind Amanda's little plan. Alicia had to treat the assignment like she would any other, and she wasn't the type of person to do anything half assed.

"We're after a list of potential targets. The guy you'll be seducing is a gun for hire, nothing impressive. What we're going for is the data on the laptop he swiped during his latest job. You keep the trigger finger busy so Samson can get to the hardware. He'll have to manually grant me access so I can work my magic from back in Operations," Birkhoff reached for his energy drink and took a big swig.

Alicia smiled, glad that it was an undemanding Operation. Keeping someone occupied was something she could easily do, and Birkhoff's role presented an opportunity. "So, ready to wow me with your skills _Shadow Walker_?" she teased.

Birkhoff had to admit that after getting over the initial insult of Amanda's plan he had seen the upside of it all. Now he could show Alicia just what he was capable of. Assignment or no assignment, he loved the way Alicia was always so interested in his work. When she'd filled him in on the details she had been annoyed that she'd have to act impartial to him, but openly admitted she was excited to have an excuse to see his skills in action. "Always," he shot back with playful grin.

"I have to send an update to Amanda tonight, think this Op will give me something to work with?" she asked curiously. Birkhoff hadn't given much information on what exactly he'd be doing, but she had a feeling it would make good use of his computer expertise.

"Oh I think we can do better than that," there was a mischievous sparkling to his navy eyes as he leaned towards the screen. "What do you say we bump into each other in the hall after dragon lady's done playing dress up? I have a bone to pick with her now that Samson's been dumped on me," as he spoke a smile was growing on her face, "and I bet a pretty little thang like you could talk me down."

His idea was perfect, and just what they needed. Before the pair could take advantage of being able to go out in public together they first had to reach that step. "Maybe I can practice my seduction techniques on you," she purred, playfully batting her eyelashes.

"I have heard practice makes perfect," Birkhoff shot back, scooting forward a little in his seat. His eyes flickered over her, lingering on the fair skin of her legs. It had been a few weeks since he'd last been able to visit her at home, and he had a feeling that a visit was long overdue. If the way his heart skipped a beat when he met her eyes was any indication of how quickly she could rile him up, he couldn't even imagine what this Op would do to him. "It's going to be weird," he admitted, "watching you from Operations again."

Alicia realized what he was talking about. She'd forgotten that she was going to be seducing another man while her boyfriend watched. "It's been a while since I've had you in my ear," she added with a little distracted nod.

He picked up on it easily, making sure to catch her eyes before she could let them flicker away. "It's not a bedroom mission," Birkhoff assured her, "you'll be in a club."

"Doesn't change the fact I'll have another guy all over me," she huffed.

"I don't like it any more than you do sweetcheeks," he pointed out, frowning.

Alicia shook her head, giving a little stressed laugh. "That's the whole problem. It's no fun for me, but I don't care about that. What bothers me," she admitted, "is that you have to watch it all. This may be my first relationship, but even I know usually when your girl kisses another guy you dump her."

"Well most girls aren't part of a top secret organization that's making them do it," Birkhoff pointed out with a little smile. While he wasn't looking forward to watching another guy check out _his_ girl, he was more worried about her. One look at the disgruntled expression she wore and he knew he had to reassure her. "Babe, it's your job. You know that and I know that. I'm not about to hold it against you."

"Doesn't stop me from feeling guilty," she sighed.

"About what? I have the easy part. All I have to do is watch and keep the Operation in mind. You're the one who has to act interested in some bozo," he grimaced. He'd never considered what it would feel like to have to feign attraction to someone you couldn't stand. In fact, there were a lot of things about Division that had never bothered him before he'd met Alicia. "How do you do it?" Birkhoff asked, unable to refrain from asking.

Alicia took in his image on her screen, filing it away in her mind. After she did she couldn't help but give a little smile. "I used to spend all of my time at the library. It was my home away from the hellhole I was supposed to call home. My nose was always buried in one book or another, and I'd always picture myself as the character. When I went on the run it was the best six years of my life. Every week I could be a new person, and I could be _anyone_ that I wanted to be. I got so good at being anyone but myself that it started to lose its fun. So," Alicia paused, an almost dreamy expression crossing her face, "I started to picture _everything_ as a story. People were just characters and I could make them what I wanted. With next to no effort I just pretend people are what I want them to be."

Birkhoff listened with interest, her explanation giving him more insight on who she was. "The power of imagination, huh?" he mused. He idly wondered if that was how she was able to be so happy around him. He had thought he was breaking down her walls, but the possibility that she'd painted him as someone else in her mind scared him.

"Yeah," she agreed with a little nod. For a minute they were silent, just staring at each other's image on their screens. A thought occurred to her as she took in his face. "Can I ask you something?"

"Only if I can ask you something," he responded easily.

She tilted her head, a few waves of her hair falling over bared shoulder. "What is it?"

"You first," he smiled, picking up the energy drink and taking a swig.

It took her a second to decide how to ask. "You were seventeen when you joined Division," she started slowly, "and you've been in for fifteen years. Have the rules always been the same?"

Birkhoff hadn't expected this question, and he quirked a brow. "Yeah, things at Division are pretty much unchanging. Same dance different day. Why?" he asked, curious as to what lead to her question.

"Well, I just realized you basically grew up in Division," Alicia muttered feeling a little silly where she was leading with this. His look told her to go on, so she swallowed the embarrassment and decided to get it over with. "Have _you_ ever been in a relationship before?" she managed to get the question out. It felt odd to ask. She didn't see how he could have with the rules the way they were, and yet she couldn't picture him as being as inexperienced in it as she was. The way he so naturally knew how to handle her was that of someone who knew women.

The question threw him off for a moment. He gave her a dubious look before running a hand through his shaggy hair. "There's been a few over the years," he managed to get out before shaking his head to clear it, trying to decide how to answer better. "Well, in the way that Division allows them. Action is fine," Birkhoff explained, "but connection is a no-no."

Alicia gave a little nod. It had been the answer she'd been expecting, but it didn't make her feel any better. "Why now?" she asked, once more unable to keep it in. What she really wanted to ask was _why me?_ When Amanda had said he wouldn't be able to resist her, the little thought of him having a type popped into her mind. He _had_ referred to her looks when she asked why he would ever want her. Division was filled with attractive people, so why should just another pretty face mean anything to him?

On his screen was a beautiful girl, _his_ beautiful girl, and the spark of doubt in those emerald eyes confounded him. He couldn't understand how she could possibly be insecure about why _he _was with _her_. As much as he'd like to chalk it up to being a genius he knew that, unlike the character she would play for Amanda's assignment, there was more to it than that for her. She seemed to like _him_ and though he didn't understand it, he wasn't about to reject it. "Because none of them were you," he answered simply. He leaned forward, giving her a smile. "My turn," he paused, taking in the way she prepared herself for the question, "what ya reading?"

She blinked, just as surprised by his playful question as he'd been about hers. One look at his smile and she felt oddly reassured. Her eyes flickered down to the book, before slowly raising to meet his, a smile growing on her lips as they did. "Romeo and Juliet," she lied easily. The way his thick brows rose, an almost panicked expression crossing his face, made her want to laugh. She made him suffer for a moment, letting him worry that she was one of those dreamy romantics, before she couldn't hold it in any more. The innocent smile she'd worn quickly turned to amusement as she laughed, eyes sparkling at his expression. "It's the Clockwork Vampire Chronicles," Alicia put him out of his misery, holding up the book.

He shook his head, chuckling at the enjoyment on her face. "A vampire book?" he asked, sounding a little unsure. There'd been a craze of vampire loving tweenies lately, and he desperately hoped Alicia wasn't one of them. Not that he had anything against vampires, but what the books depicted these days were closer to pixies than anything else. While she _was_ nine years younger than him, he knew she was mature. After everything she'd been through, and was currently a part of, she'd lived more than any normal person three times her age.

"_Vachines_ actually," she corrected him, "they're human machine hybrids that run off of a mix of blood and oil."

"It any good?" he asked, genuinely interested now. Birkhoff couldn't help but think about how it sounded like something he'd read. Unlike what Amanda may think of him, he did read more than just comic books.

Her eyes flickered down to the book in her hands, giving a nod as she smiled. "Machine integrated humans, medieval style bloodshed, a main hero who yields a double sided broad axe _and_ to top it all off he has a kickass beard. Yeah," she laughed, "it's a good book."

It was his turn to laugh. If he didn't know better than Alicia was simply too good to be true. "So you like beards?" he asked, running his finger over his bare chin. Birkhoff had rocked one a few times, but he'd been keeping it clean for a year or two now.

Her phone chose moment to ring and Birkhoff watched as she turned, looking over her shoulder towards the kitchen. "Hold that thought," she held up a finger, giving him a sweet little smile. In a moment she was on her feet and his stalked her every move. The oversized sweater fell a quarter of the way down her otherwise bare legs, an image that made him lean in towards the screen. If there was anything he had to worry about tonight it was drooling over her. With his position at Division he saw many a sexy woman on a frequent basis; but Alicia beat them all hands down. She was something else and better yet she was _his_; regardless of the men he'd have to watch her seduce.

She had drawn her phone from her purse and was leaning against the island counter, talking on the cellphone. From behind his computer watched her, wondering who she was talking to. Whoever it was, it was taking longer than he'd expected it to. It wasn't until he saw her laugh that he decided to pull up her cellphone info on his righthand screen. When he read the number was assigned to Samson he grimaced, eyes returning to her image on the screen. _That guy_, he thought sourly, _I do not like_. Seymour didn't consider himself a jealous man, but he _hated_ the young man's relationship with Alicia. The two were always together at recruits and now they were paired together once more to be part of Team, a Team that included Birkhoff.

When Alicia returned it was to perch on the couch in front of the laptop, giving him one of her famous smiles. "That was Samson," she filled him in without hesitation; "we were called in for briefing."

Seeing as she brought it up first he felt no need to hold in his question. "Isn't that Michael's job?" he asked curiously.

"He told Michael he'd let me know," Alicia responded. Before he could get upset at the man for doing that, she was distracting him with one of her playful smiles. "And beards can be sexy," she picked back up where they'd left off, "it's the man behind it and how well he wears it that counts."

"How about _your_ man," Birkhoff smirked, "how would you feel about him having a little face fuzz?"

"I'll picture it while I'm pretending my target is you tonight," she responded with a teasing smile. "So I'll see you in the hall?"

He was still wearing the surprised grin from the first part as he nodded. "It's a date," Birkhoff shot back. He watched as she exited the program, ending the conversation.

The moment Birkhoff was no longer on her screen her fingers were flying on the keys. Learning Samson had her number had sent her into a little state of worry. Knowing that Birkhoff could access her computer any time it was on made her realize she couldn't skimp out on playing it safe. Biting her lower lip, she went through the process that she'd learned back as a recruit. It took her two tries before she got it right, and relaxed back into the couch. Thinking like her boyfriend, she had decided to take an extra precaution when it came to her laptop. If anyone logged in as her they'd be met with a second password screen; one that would wipe the hard drive if it wasn't given within twenty seconds. It gave her another idea and soon she had the cellphone plugged into the computer.

While she couldn't do the same trick for the phone, she figured she may as well play it a little safe. Any messages that she received from Birkhoff's personal number would time out twenty seconds after reading them. If for some reason anyone from Division got her hands on her phone there'd be no evidence of what his messages read. It made her feel more confident, even as she was dolled up by Amanda and informed of the spying she was supposed to be doing on the very man she was protecting. She stepped from the room, eyes flickering up to the camera in the hallway. She knew Birkhoff was waiting on the other side of it, seeing her transformation into a dolled up partygoer was complete. Any minute now he'd be meeting her in the hall as per arranged.

When Roan appeared around the corner, coning straight for her, she had to admit she was surprised. It was hidden from her face though, and she met the Cleaner with a welcoming smile. "Fancy seeing you here," Alicia greeted him playfully. She knew she had _every_ reason to be afraid of the man, but she just couldn't manage it. If anything she was happy to run across him.

"I was looking for you," he responded, coming to a stop before her.

"Well I'm not dead yet so I take it I'm not in trouble," she responded casually. It was actually kind of comforting to know that a death by his hands would be quick. Roan wasn't the type of man to drag something out.

It was the same in conversation. He reached into his pocket withdrawing a knife sheath and held it out for her. "It's better quality than your current one," he informed her as she lifted it from his hand.

Alicia looked down at the black leather sheath for a second before withdrawing the weapon. In her hand was a ceramic combat knife, one that was much better than her current one. It was light and thin with a double edged blade coming to fine teeth near the shank. It fit perfectly in her grasp as she wielded it, giving a little swipe in the air. "Is it as deadly as it looks?" she asked with a smile, liking the feel of it already.

"They are manufactured by the same company as mine," he confirmed with a little nod.

"How do you think I'd hold up against those karambit blades of yours?" Alicia couldn't help, making a graceful swipe towards the man.

He reacted on impulse, easily avoiding her blade and donning his own in a heartbeat. Behind his glasses his cool blue eyes met hers, reading the playful expression quickly. While Roan hadn't intended to bring out his knives she hadn't responded in fear, which was new for him. Instead Alicia seemed to welcome it, making another graceful move for him. He countered it and quickly fell into step with her movements. For a minute he matched her, moving at the same pace as he mentally graded her skills. The girl wasn't as well trained as he was, but she was definitely skilled. If she were to have the proper instructor she would be quite the force to reckon with.

Roan understood her love of blades, for he too shared in it. They were more precise than a gun; and more personal. A kill with a knife was quieter, quicker and easier to surprise an enemy with. With her nimbleness and the fluidity of her movements it was the perfect weapon for the young woman. After taking not of her abilities he stopped holding back, and within another minute he had her back to the wall, blade to her throat. With face upturned, her striking green eyes held his gaze without blinking.

While she knew it had been a silly move on her part, engaging a killer like Roan, she had been confident that he wouldn't hurt her. Even as she felt the tingle of a sharp edge just a hair from her throat she couldn't stop the smile from tugging her lips upwards. "I figured as much," she responded slowly, the blade tickling as it brushed against her exposed skin.

He gave her a small respectful smile, ice blue eyes acknowledging that he was pleased at the lack of fear she showed him. He couldn't quite explain it, but he felt a small connection with the girl. While they would be considered polar opposites by everyone in Division, he knew that wasn't the case. Roan knew that Alicia was always playing a role, that while her smiles were real they weren't _her_. His own emotions had been hidden inside for so long that he had recognized the same was true for the young woman the first time he'd been introduced to her. Unlike the rest of his coworkers she had never once looked to him with terror, never once viewed his presence in a negative light. If he were to kill her then it would be for a reason, and she accepted that without hesitation. There was no fear where there was acceptance.

Roan's finely tuned senses picked up on the scent of cologne, and he slowly turned his head to find the source. A few yards away Division's Head IT stood frozen in spot. Evidentially he had turned the corner to the unexpected sight before him. He could practically smell the fear on the man mixed with his cologne. He returned his eyes to Alicia the same moment her eyes returned to his, having also picked up on Birkhoff's floored presence. He eased the blade down from her throat, relaxing his muscles that had been tensed and combat ready.

Birkhoff watched with eyes wide, unable to move as he stared at the Cleaner that had only moments ago had Alicia beneath his blade. The man had her pushed up against the wall, bodies flush against each others. One of his forearms was pressing across her chest, keeping her pinned even as he held the backedge blade of his famous karambit knives to her throat. Roan slowly peeled himself away a few seconds after withdrawing the weapon from her neck, taking a step back. _What the hell,_ Birkhoff's mind repeated for the millionth time. When he'd turned the corner to be met with the sight his heart had practically stopped. His mouth had opened to call out only to close as he realized that Alicia was smiling.

"Looks like I have a ways to go," she was saying to the Cleaner, sheathing a knife Birkhoff hadn't even realized she had in her hand. He'd been so focused on the man who was pinning his girl to the wall.

"Put in a request for training. You can make it one of your specializations." Roan informed her. His weapons were already back within the folds of his long black coat.

Alicia made note of that suggestion. "When I do can I get a rematch?" she asked with a smile. They'd only been engaged for a few minutes but adrenaline was coursing through her veins. Becoming better at knife play was _definitely _something she was interested in. Knowing Roan believed her good enough to add it to her arsenal after some practice was a huge ego boost.

"I wouldn't expect any less," he responded easily with a small nod before turning to stride down the hall. He was still in ear shot as the pair began to talk and he listened in. The tone of the conversation didn't surprise him in the least. Percy had informed him about Amanda's little side project involving the pair. It disappointed him that the woman had gotten to Alicia first. After reviewing the Operation he'd accompanied the young woman on he saw her potential as a Cleaner. That lighthearted attitude of hers would illicit as much fear in a person than his silence.

"Birkhoff, what brings you to these lonely halls?" Alicia greeted him with a playful smile.

As much as he wanted to ask her what he'd just walked in on, he could still hear Roan's footsteps retreating down the dim hall. "I'm here to talk to Amanda about the Team she's formed," he answered after clearing his throat. His eyes danced over her, taking in the sexy club wear Amanda had dressed her in.

"You, me and Samson?" she asked, tilting her head to peer at him with wide green eyes. "Is there a problem?" she added after he nodded.

He shifted uncomfortably, running a hand through his brown hair. "No offense sweetheart, but I think I'd be better used elsewhere," Birkhoff confessed with a dry smile.

"But we'd be left with technical support," her voice was laced with disappointment.

Roan was out of range now, but he knew that once Alicia informed Amanda she'd seen him the woman would pull up the video feeds. She took pleasure in watching her mind games unfold, and he knew this little project of hers would be no exception. He was a little surprised that she hadn't tried to hide a camera on Alicia yet. _She knows I'd know better,_ he thought idly. "There are plenty of techies," he excused her worry nervously, "you could have your pick. Like Clint, he'd jump at the chance to be your whipping boy."

"I don't want Clint," she dismissed easily, stepping closer, "I want _you_."

Birkhoff stared down into her sparkling green eyes, his heart picking up a little. He knew that they were just playing their parts, but hearing her say that still made him smirk. "I know I'm a big deal babe," he responded slyly, "so flattery will get you nowhere. Why would I want to be stuck with two newbs?"

"I'd feel safer knowing it's you watching over me," Alicia flashed him her disarming smile, "no one else can do the job like you can. Would it really be so bad being stuck with me?"

The slight pout of her lip at the last part won him over. He knew that he'd never be able to deny the young woman anything when she was putting on a face like that. "It's not you-"

"It's Samson?" she asked with a little laugh. "Really Birkhoff," Alicia smiled slyly, "if you think about it, being on his Team is the best place for you to be. You get to order him around and he will know the whole time that _you_ are his lifeline. Even he won't be able to deny how _valuable_ you are." He opened his mouth to launch a rebuttal, and she set a hand on his chest to silence him. "I have to get to transport but think about it, okay? I hope you change your mind. I know I'd love to have you on my Team," she left him with a heartwarming smile before striding down the hall.

Birkhoff's eyes followed her retreat. He couldn't help but scan over her body as she left, taking in how the dip in her waist led into the curve of her hips. He had to give it to her; she made a convincing argument- even if it was staged. So much so that when he was back in Operations situated behind his computer he was smirking as he watched his fellow teammates file from the transport vehicle. Even after seeing her on Samson's arm as they entered the upbeat club he remained in high spirits.

Samson wore a smug expression as he guided Alicia through the crowded club. With the music pumping and the people dancing he had to slip an arm around her waist so as not to lose her. The pair gained more than a few interested looks as they worked their way towards the bar. As much as he loved kill jobs he had to admit he didn't care _what_ mission they chose to send him on anymore. Alicia being his partner down on the field changed everything. If it was with her then he didn't care what the task was; he knew they'd be successful.

The more successful they were the higher the profile of the jobs that would come their way. It was clear that Percy found potential in them for he had added Birkhoff to their team. While Samson didn't remotely like the computer nerd he did accept the man's skill. Everyone at Division knew when it came to technology Birkhoff was top dog. He may have had his issues with him during his recruit days, but now that he was an Agent he felt he was past that. Besides; he was the one down in the action.

"Target is at a table on the far south end of the bar," Birkhoff's voice informed them via their earbuds, "currently engaged with a woman in a black dress."

They slipped into position at the end of the bar, already in character. Alicia and Samson chatted softly as they shared in a drink, a little bit of a distance between them. She slipped her hand onto his chest, flirting with Samson even as he made a show of scanning other women. When Alicia's martini was down to the last few sips they put the plan into motion.

"Why don't we go dance?" she breathed, batting her lashes at Samson.

He gave her an unenthusiastic look, shaking off her suggestion. "I think I'll have another drink," he muttered instead, looking away from her.

Alicia looked frustrated, shooting him a narrow eyed stare. "Why do you take me out if you won't even dance with me?" she asked, putting a hand on her hip. When he avoided her eyes to instead flag down the bartender she gave a little growl of frustration. "You're going to do it again, aren't you?" She demanded, raising her voice a little bit.

"Target has noticed you," Birkhoff advised them. Back in Operations he watched the couple on his screen. As they bickered he had to admit they were two of the more convincing actors he'd seen. Being in as long as he had, Birkhoff had witnessed many an Agent play their part. Something about the way Alicia and Samson went about it was different. His eyes narrowed in on his screen as he scanned over their body language. _They're comfortable with each other_, he noticed. That was what annoyed him so much, he realized, it was how familiar they were with each other. Everything they did was so naturally choreographed. A touch here, a look there, facial expression always the correct response to what the other was saying; they were in tune with one another.

When Samson grabbed her to 'drag her home' as he had threatened, even Birkhoff found himself tensing. He knew it was all a part of the act. He knew the jealousy he felt was irrational, but all he could think about was how negatively Alicia had responded to him all that time ago in the parking lot. Granted, she had been high strung at that time and he _had_ snuck up on her. But it didn't change the fact that no matter how Samson touched her she didn't seem the least bit concerned about it. Now more than ever he wondered just what went on in Amanda's special classes. He hadn't asked Alicia what Situation 12 entailed because he was as worried about the answer as he was curious.

She pulled out of his hold, and before Birkhoff could warn them the target had already engaged them. Completely abandoning the woman he'd been talking to he'd stepped up to Alicia's side. Through the com Birkhoff listened in on the exchange going on. It was clear Jacob Doran was a confident cocky man by the way he openly challenged Samson. He couldn't blame the man either; if he had been the man he would have jumped to her aid as well. While the plan had called for Samson to leave an upset Alicia alone at the bar, their acting had actually produced an even better result. When Samson stormed off Alicia was already in Jacob's company.

"I'm sorry about that," Alicia apologized, leaning delicately against the bar. She raised her glass to her lips, finishing off the rest of the drink.

The man watched, a charming smile on his face. "Always happy to help," he responded smoothly, "was that your boyfriend?"

"_Ex_- boyfriend," she corrected him bitterly, eyes flickering to find the bartender.

Jacob Doran flagged down the bartender quickly, easily getting his attention. When he approached where the pair stood at the door he asked the man what he could get him without delay. "A jack and coke for me and for the lady…" he turned his eyes flirtatiously to Alicia.

She gave a soft blush, tucking a strand of her auburn hair back behind her ear. "A dirty martini," she responded.

"And a dirty martini," he repeated back to the bartender, keeping his eyes on Alicia. The man could hardly believe his luck. He'd been talking to a hot little number when he'd caught sight of the fighting couple out of the corner of his eye. Easily tuning out the woman's talking he hadn't been able to refrain from eavesdropping. The jackass obviously thought he was some hot shit because he was treating his girl like she was a bore when all she was trying to do was have fun with him. While his eyes had scanned over Alicia a few times, quickly judging her highly attractive, it wasn't until the man had demanded they leave that he decided to step in. If the cocky man didn't see what he had in front of him then it was his own fault.

"Thank you," she flashed him a shy smile that almost melted his heart.

The girl was gorgeous and had this disarmingly sweet air around her despite her firecracker appearance. He happily tilted his glass towards her in a toast. "To ex's" he offered up, tilting his head a little as he flashed her another smile.

"I'll drink to that," she gently clinked her drink against his before lifting it to her lips. After a little sip she took a larger gulp and then another.

Even up in Operations Birkhoff picked up on the scheming glint in the man's eyes. Birkhoff was rolling his as he turned his attention to Samson's progress. He had to admit the smug kid worked fast. He'd already slipped into the back room, quickly locating the laptop case. Slipping it from the case and into his suit he disappeared from the back room, slipping instead into the restroom. Birkhoff lost a visual, but in his ear Samson kept him updated on the fact he was currently accessing the computer. The tone he used was different from the one he'd always addressed Birkhoff with in the past, and it pained him to admit he was very businesslike and efficient.

While he talked Samson through some of the more complicated steps of cracking the laptop, he brought up Alicia on his screen. Down on the floor she was engaged with the target, her drink almost finished and smiles on their faces as they talked. The man had gotten closer, close enough to ward off any other men who may look her way. It was clear the young woman had her attention, for he ate up every one of her winning smiles.

"I'm sorry, I'm usually more fun than this," Alicia admitted softly as she set down her finished drink. Despite the drug that Division had provided to soften the impact of the alcohol her part required she intake, she could still feel the familiar buzz in her veins. When she drank it was only ever wine, and just the taste of the drinks was uncomfortable for her.

"You just need to loosen up," he crooned, buying into the entire thing. Jacob's mind was far from the laptop he had waiting in the back room for his boss's appearance later in the night. He had a good four hours until the bossman would arrive, and in the meantime he had some beautiful arm candy. If things continued going as well as they were he wouldn't be surprised if he could talk the young woman into slipping into the back room with him. With a lift of his hand he had the bartender's attention again, and pointed deftly to her empty glass.

Alicia had pretended not to notice, and was instead giving him a more confident smile. "It might help if we exchanged names," she said with a soft giggle.

"Jacob," he informed her, giving a smirk. His dark chocolate eyes lit up as the drink he'd ordered for her was placed before her and her empty glass whisked away.

"I'm Alicia," she picked up the drink, looking down at it in her hand before meeting his eyes, "and I do believe you're spoiling me."

The man grinned deviously, lifting the half finished drink he'd been nursing to take another sip. "A beautiful thing like you?" he asked smoothly. "I don't think it's possible to spoil you enough."

Birkhoff was giving his screen an amused look, brows raised as he listened in on the man. "We should have just had you _ask_ for the laptop," Samson grumbled through his headset, also able to hear the flirtatious conversation, "probably would have gone faster."

"What's taking you so long anyways?" Birkhoff questioned, waiting to play his _real_ part back up in Operations. "You're cracking a simple encryption, not deciphering the lost language of Atlantis," he scoffed.

"Are you down here? No," he growled into the headset, glad that the bathrooms had individual stalls with no-gap doors, "so let me do my job."

Birkhoff shrugged, relaxing back in his seat. He propped his hands up behind his head, shaking his head as he watched Alicia on his screen. There wasn't much else he could do. Until Samson managed to get him access to the laptop he was on standby. _That's my girl_, he smirked proudly as he watched the man lead her to the dancefloor, his hand on the small of her back. The way she so skillfully managed to get his complete attention was rather impressive. She'd gone the slightly withdrawn route which had made him feel like the aggressor. From the profile Birkhoff had compiled on Jacob Doran he admired how quickly she'd put together an approach.

Down on the floor Alicia danced with Jacob, no space between them in the crowded club. His front was flush against her back, hands on the dip in her waist as he moved in tune against her. This was exactly the moment she was thankful for her odd habit of taking mental pictures. Any time she'd run across interesting she'd always done it; she even remembered doing it of Birkhoff before she knew him as anything but her moody teacher. But now she had an entire file of Seymour in her memory and the man behind her melted away. While some may consider her ability to play make believe a psychological problem, Amanda had assured her it was an amazing asset. That rung true as she pretended it was Birkhoff's hands that were running up and down her curves. The warmth of the alcohol coursing through her was more of a help than a hindrance now that she was dancing.

When Samson managed to get past all of the security the laptop had thrown up to keep him out, he plugged in the USB and handed over the virtual reigns to Birkhoff. Now he was the one with nothing to do as he sat in the bathroom stall and waited. On the screen before him he could see the progress of the computer whiz as he gained remote control access of the server. He couldn't even make sense of the figures that were going over his screen. Glad that his part was over he focused his attention instead on the music coming from Alicia's end of communications. It was faint due to the voice detection software the nerd had enabled in order to deal with the loud atmosphere. The only clear sounds were that of the man whispering in Alicia's ear.

She didn't have the choice to reject when he grabbed his hand and lead her through the crowd in the direction of the rest rooms. Her small size and the amount of drinks she'd consumed pointed towards her being loose and willing; regardless of the fact this wasn't the case. Division's pill helped greatly and though she did feel the tingle in her veins it only resembled that of being tipsy.

Still, she had to ask where he was taking her as his arm snuck around her waist pulling him to her side. "Where are we going?" Alicia questioned with a giggle and a wide eyed smile up at the man.

"I do some side work for the owner of the club," Jacob answered with a secretive smirk, "so I have access to some more _personal_ rooms."

"I'd love to freshen up quick. Will we pass the little girls room on the way?" Alicia asked biting gently on her lower lip as she peered up at him. He gave a nod of his head, graciously leading her right up to the door. "_You_ ," she breathed before rising onto her toes, not that it made much of a difference in the killer heels she wore, and planting a soft kiss on his lips, "better be here when I get out." With a wink she disappeared into the bathroom, quickly ducking into one of the stalls and pulling the door closed. "How are we doing?" she asked into her headset, adjusting the short dress.

"Birkhoff's still looking for the file," Samson answered first.

"I've almost got it sweetheart," Birkhoff's voice followed quickly, "you'll be home in no time."

In the room beside Samson he was still in the bathroom stall, rolling his eyes at the Head IT's voice. _Just because she feels sorry for you,_ he thought bitterly, _doesn't mean you can call her pet names._ It annoyed him how the computer geek didn't seem to realize out of his league Alicia was. While Birkhoff had seen her during class and a few missions after she was Activated, he didn't know the woman the way _he_ did. Samson had been in the program for two months when Alicia had shown up. Her very first day she was paired together with him, compliments of Michael. His power was the perfect contrast for her amazing agility. As if all the hours they'd shared training in hand to hand combat wasn't already enough, she'd then been admitted into Amanda's special lessons. Once more he had found himself happily paired with the girl.

Together they had perfected the art of seduction on each other. More than that, they'd also practiced how properly to be the one seduced. Alicia excelled in her acting skills and Samson had developed alongside her. They'd been through every one of the Situations together; all 52 of them. The lessons ranged from seducing to intimidating and everything in between. Mind games were their specialties. Any role they were given they would be able to fill it without so much as batting a lash. Now that they were partners he realized how easy she was to work with. They knew all of each other's tricks, as well as the perfect way to respond according to the current situation.

"I'm moving with the target to a _personal room_," she mimicked Jacob's low tone. "Are there cameras in those Birkhoff?" Alicia asked, fixing her hair. With all the dancing she'd gotten a little ruffled.

While he was in the middle of working and unable to pull up the cameras he went over the floorplan in his mind. "It depends on which room he takes you to," he answered a little hesitantly, not liking the idea of her going in blind, "there's a VIP room that doesn't have one."

"How will I know which that is to try and avoid it?" she questioned, disliking the idea as much as he did.

"There's a plaque on the outside," Samson answered for her, "I passed it on my way to the back room."

With a little breath she readied herself to return to the waiting target. "Not to rush you Birkhoff," she purred into the mic, "but any idea on time?"

His fingers flew over the keys, all the more motivated to get it done quickly. "Ten minutes tops," he answered, reaching to slam down some of his energy drink.

"Okay, I'm going back out. Wish me luck," she teased before slipping from the stall.

"You don't need luck," Samson responded smoothly, smirking even though he couldn't see her.

Birkhoff's fingers danced on the keys as he rolled his eyes once more. He'd never wished Alicia wasn't friendly before now. It was hard not to with Samson's annoying voice in his ear. As irritating as it was he wasn't going to let it get to him. Instead he focused intently on his work. The sooner he could get Alicia out of there the better. All he had to do was get the list and they'd be done for the night. She'd report back to Amanda and they'd be that much closer to being able to see each other in public. While her little Romeo stunt had been cute, he wanted to show her that _he_ could surprise her with a little romance. It would be his own personal flavor of it, and he had a feeling that would only make her enjoy it all the more.

When Alicia passed the VIP room she inwardly breathed a sigh of relief, only to take it back the moment she made it to the room that Jacob Doran had in mind. "This is…" her eyes flickered around the room, "not what I expected," she finished giving him an embarrassed smile. They'd bypassed the rooms all together and instead of a club side room he'd lead her into the backroom. The walls where whitewash, a table up against one the far wall along with a couple stacks of money beside a wall safe. The chairs were all lined up against one wall, a coat and laptop case sitting on one of the seats.

"Don't worry beautiful," he grinned down at the young woman, "I just need to check on something for the club owner. This is just the saferoom, our room will be much more accommodating."

Thinking quickly she grabbed his hand, stopping him from crossing over to the chairs. His eyes moved from her hand clasped on hers up to her eyes with a satisfied glint. "We're in the saferoom?" she breathed, making a show of her eyes flickering around the room. "Could I get in trouble for being in here with you?" Alicia asked as her wide eyes lingered on the money before returning to Jacob's.

"Not when you're with me," Jacob responded smoothly, giving her hand a gentle tug. She gave in without hesitation, letting him pull her to him. He slipped his arms around her waist, hands resting on her lower back. "Unless you plan on trying to get your hands on the man's money," he teased, making it sound like this was as likely as her growing a tail, "then no one will ever know we were here."

The man clearly didn't know about the cameras. While Birkhoff had already made sure Samson entering was as undetectable as he would be when he returned the laptop, he wouldn't be able to erase her image. It was too late to worry about that and so she decided to focus on the issue at hand: Jacob Doran was about to find his laptop case was empty. "This is kind of dangerous," she giggled, biting her lip as she stared up at him playfully.

"I'm a dangerous man," he growled back, hands sliding down to squeeze her ass.

Birkhoff swiped his hair angrily from his eyes at the voices in his ear. "You have to get him out of there," he urged, "I've almost got this in the bag and we're good to go." Not being able to keep an eye on them as he worked was maddening.

"He won't leave without checking the package," Samson groaned. "If he put it before sex with her in the first place then he's not going to forget it and walk out now," his fingers balled into a fist. Sitting and waiting was infuriating. The entire point of the route they'd taken was so no one would ever know they'd gotten a copy of the list.

Alicia could hear them, even if she couldn't contribute to the conversation. She knew what she had to do though, and met the deep brown eyes that stared into hers with a mischievous glint. "Show me how dangerous," she breathed, lifting her lips up to his. He eagerly returned her kiss, quickly deepening it. In her mind she focused on Birkhoff's image, and had no problem playing her role. Despite her relationship she owed Division and holding back would only do harm.

"I've got it!" Birkhoff exhaled. He was so wound up that he felt too relieved to do his usual gloating. "Shut the sucker down," he instructed briskly as he pulled up the video feed in the back room.

"I have to reinstate-"

"Already did it," he cut him off, "just get it done."

Samson didn't hesitate to close the laptop, pocket the jump drive and slip the laptop under the strap that held it to his back beneath the suitcoat. He slipped out of the bathroom, slowly making his way to the back room keeping a low profile. "Birkhoff," he planned as he went, "do you have a visual on Alicia?"

"Uh, _yeah_," Birkhoff said, pointing out the obvious.

"Describe what she's doing," Samson ordered.

At this he leaned forward, eyes narrowing his eyes in on Samson's image on his screen. "Newb Agent says what now?" he scoffed.

Finding a camera he glared up at it, squeezing past some girls that were chatting up one of the so called security team the club had. "If I know what she's doing I can work out how to do this. We can't hear her, but _you_ can see her," he growled angrily.

Birkhoff groaned. He never thought he'd miss working with Michael, but he desperately did. He'd know just what to do if Nikita was stuck. Only it wasn't Nikita down there; it was Alicia. And it was Samson who was relaying an order in such a Michael-esqe manner. Nevertheless he focused on Alicia on his screen. "He has her against the wall," Birkhoff described the scene before him, "guys practically panting like a dog."

"Alicia, get him to have his back to the door," Samson's cool, confident tone came through her earpiece.

_Easy enough_, she thought grabbing hold of the open collar of his shirt. When Jacob pulled his mouth back to look down at her it was to meet her emerald eyes. The look in the consumed him, and when she set her free hand on his chest and gave a push he followed with a step back. It was easy from there to lead him by the collar to the table, his hands eagerly lifting her onto the surface. The man smirked at her and she returned it with a seductive smile, reaching out to run her fingers down the side of his clean shaven face. Her eyes flickered to the camera the moment he buried his face in his neck, littering it with kisses as his hand hitched up her dress.

Her eyes said what she couldn't. It was almost as if Birkhoff had felt her fingers trace down _his_ face, and he switched over to her private channel. "I'm thinking of growing it out again," he said softly. Quickly flipping back to the team line he informed Samson, "She's got him in position."

Once more he was left sitting and watching as Samson seemed to communicate in code with her. In a well coordinated move Alicia played the man like a puppet. She had him so well distracted, removing his jacket to reveal a firearm at his side. Alicia reacted accordingly with an awed yet startled reaction and a moment of smirking from Jacob, he had the gun set off to the side. Samson got in position at the door, counting to three before slowly opening it up. She had the man so busy with her feverish kisses as her hands unbuttoned his shirt that he was unaware of the Division Agent stealthily returning the laptop to its case behind him.

In a casual motion she pushed his shirt off to the side the moment he slipped his arms out, and it moved the gun out of reach down the table. Samson made himself known, playing the jealous role quite convincingly. He had his hands on the man's shoulders, dragging him roughly away from Alicia as he tossed him to the floor. "What the fuck is this?" he growled over at Alicia as he loomed over the man, pointing down to him angrily.

"Don't you look at _me_ like that! You're the one who left me here," she snapped back, hopping to her feet.

Jacob had risen, falling into a fighting stance that looked like he leaned towards boxing. "How the hell did you get in here?" he demanded, a dark look on his face.

"My girl's got a pretty memorable face," Samson flashed him a wicked smirk.

"We're over Tyler," Alicia shot back as she glared at him, "I told you if you did this to me again we were done."

"You heard the lady," Jacob scoffed, "scat while you still have the chance."

Birkhoff watched as they started fighting. Samson was holding back, mimicking the boxing style the man had started in on him with. A few well placed punches and Jacob Doran hit man for hire was down for the count and Samson was grinning at Alicia. "You know I love you babe," he crooned, stepping over the man who was letting out a pained groan as he held his ribs. "Come on, what do you say we go home and make up?"

She crossed her arms, striding purposefully past him. "Next time I really am gone for good Tyler, I mean it," she complained stepping around the man on the floor and straight for the door. Samson didn't need to be told twice, and Birkhoff wished that he was the one giving Jacob an extra kick on his way out the door, not the cocky Agent.


	13. Agents in Action

Alicia straddled his back, long waves of hair cascading over her shoulder. She smiled as the man beneath her groaned in pleasure as her hands worked away at the stress in his muscles. "You're always so tense," she commented, leaning forward on her hands to put some more pressure into the massage.

"It's the job sweetheart," Birkhoff responded, eyes closed in bliss. He'd won the jackpot with her; there was no doubt about that. Just a few months ago he would have given anything to get a massage, and now he had his own personal masseuse. Better yet was the fact she actually _enjoyed_ giving them to him and sprung them on him without him ever needing to ask.

Focusing on his lower back she splayed out her fingers, lifting her hips from him to use her weight. A few pops was her reward and once more he groaned in pleasure. "Speaking of work," Alicia spoke as she continued her delicious assault on his muscles, "I _still_ have an update for you."

Birkhoff smirked into the pillow. He'd forgotten she had called him for a reason, and he'd been unable to refrain from coming straight over to talk about it in person. Really it was her fault that they got otherwise engaged. When she'd answered the elevator door in her nightgown work was the _last_ thing on his mind. One thing lead to another, as it often did with the pair, and they'd fallen asleep in a tangle of limbs. Waking up in her bed, which she was right – it _did_ have more pillows than a Sultan's, he'd been content just watching her sleep. Alicia climbed onto him the moment she was up, and she'd been spoiling him with a massage ever since. "Can it wait till I wake up? Because I've got Aphrodite on my back and 99% of back rubs lead to sex…" her trailed off playfully.

"Aphrodite?" she laughed, rolling her eyes.

"My own personal Greek goddess," he grinned up at her over his shoulder, "and I'm not even Greek." The sparkle in her emerald eyes was quite rewarding, and the smile on her face made him decide he'd found the perfect nickname for her.

Alicia leaned forward, placing a kiss between his shoulder blades. "This may be hard for you to hear," she teased gently, lips moving against the skin of his back, "but I know firsthand your statistics are wrong." After pressing another kiss onto the warm skin she drew back to give him a playful smile.

"A guy can dream," he laughed, closing his eyes as her hands returned to massaging. They slowly traveled down his back, working out the last of the knots as they went. Birkhoff was enjoying it so much that when her fingers traveled over his sides he didn't suspect what she was about to do next. Her fingers teased his skin, a laugh escaping from his lips instantaneously as she zeroed in on his ticklish spots. "Okay I'm up!" he rolled onto his back, trapping her hands in his to stop the torture.

He was greeted with her wolfish grin as she adjusted to startle his waist instead. "Good, because I don't know how long we have," Alicia sighed, withdrawing her hands from his to push her hair back over her shoulders.

Birkhoff's eyes scanned over her, lingering on her bra clad breasts before meeting her eyes. "Never long enough," he declared, slipping his hands onto her knees. "So, what's the dragon lady want now?" he asked, though his attention was elsewhere. His hands traveled up the soft skin of her legs to her rest on her thighs, his thumbs caressing her smooth skin.

"You know how we've kicked it up a notch these last few missions?" Alicia asked, getting a nod from him in response. While his eyes were on her legs, she knew he was paying attention. "Well, she's decided you've wowed me enough," she smiled softly, "and it's time to take it the next step."

"World domination?" Birkhoff asked with a sarcastic laugh.

Clearing her face of emotion she reset it to instead look a little mysterious. "A bedroom mission," she answered, biting gently on her lower lip.

The reaction was instant, and his navy eyes locked on hers. "She doesn't think forcing me to watch you and boy-wonder play Mr. and Mrs. Smith is making me jealous enough?" he growled, not hiding his anger. Since they'd been made into a Team they'd had a grand total of seven successful missions. Of course nearly half of those involved the two going undercover, more often than not resulting in the pair having at least a moment of coupledom. He could stand seeing her with a target, knowing she was picturing it was him actually making it a little enjoyable, but seeing her with Samson still pissed him off.

"Well the target is _very_ high profile," Alicia responded easily with a small shrug.

"She wouldn't waste her _pet_ on just any Joe Schmoe," Birkhoff grumbled bitterly.

When he closed his eyes, looking like he was trying to figure out what he was supposed to do, she couldn't help but feel bad. They both knew that one day it was going to happen whether they liked it or not. While bedroom missions weren't commonplace, they were sometimes necessary. This particular one didn't bother her though, and in fact she was rather looking forward to it. Seymour would too once she filled him in on the details. She knew it was cruel, but she took a little pleasure in how the news had affected him. Knowing he was possessive of her despite her line of work made her feel secure in the relationship. "_Seymour_," she purred, gliding her hands down his arms as she leaned forward over him, "the target is _you_."

His eyes opened to meet hers, which were just a few inches away, and before he could formulate a thought she kissed him. Birkhoff lost himself to her lips, kissing her back with passion. When she finally pulled back to smile at him, emerald eyes glittering, he realized what she'd just done to him. "You are evil," he growled, "like Mai Linh evil."

"I resent that," she huffed playfully, stealing another kiss before sitting back up.

Birkhoff stared up at her, giving her a slow look over before meeting her eyes with a smirk. "You are now being paid by the government to do me," he laughed.

"Division's finest at your service sir," Alicia gave him a mock salute. When he slid his hands up and over her hips she stopped his hands before they could get any further than her love handles. "But right now I'm off the clock," she gave a little laugh before climbing off of him, "and trying to decide what to make for breakfast."

He propped himself up on his elbows, watching as she sat at the edge of the bed before leaning over to grab his sweater from the floor. "What time is it anyways?" he asked, shifting to look at the watch on his wrist.

"My guess? Around seven thirty," she answered, pulling his green striped sweater down over her head. "I keep getting up at seven," she sighed, "still stuck on recruit time."

Birkhoff ran a hand over his hair, pushing it from his eyes as he sat up. He squinted down at his watch for a second before lazily rubbing his eyes. "Seven thirty on the dot, you sure you're not a robot?" he called out after her as she left the room. When he pulled up his jeans, he wasn't surprised that his phone began to ring. Pulling it from his pocket he flashed a look through the door to Alicia in the kitchen. He caught sight of her cooking at the stove in his sweatshirt and as he slipped into the bathroom to answer the call he was grinning.

She wasn't surprised when the first thing out of him mouth when he came into the kitchen was that he had to go. "Division calls sweetheart."

"Made it to go," Alicia offered forth the burrito omelet with a smile. Birkhoff always being called off to Division was commonplace, and she'd learnt how to adapt to it. Her days as a recruit at Division had been the only time in her life she'd had a structured schedule and she found it was something she missed. Now that she was an Active Agent and in charge of her free time she could choose to do whatever she wanted. Instead she worked off of a schedule that closely resembled her time as a recruit and the only spontaneity in her life came from Birkhoff.

With him gone she moved wasted no time in tidying up and slipping into her work out clothes. Popping in a pair of headphones she climbed onto her treadmill, clicking on her flat screen with the remote. _He really does spoil me_ she couldn't help but think as she moved the toggle on her Birkhoff-issued remote to pull up the data on their next mission. Clicking on the video feeds for her target she started in on her work out. It wasn't that she didn't have a life; Division was her life.

It was Birkhoff's as well, and the minute he stepped foot in the place he was swamped with work. The only form of a break he got was when he relaxed back in his computer chair, eyes dancing over the recruits as they worked on a simulation. He found himself wondering about a few of them as he watched them working. Before Alicia he had never paid too much attention to his students. She'd sat in this very room for two months before he'd so much as heard her twinkling laugh directed at him. Now, as he took in the current batch of recruits, he was placing mental bets on how long they'd last.

He'd picked up on some of the whispers about his girlfriend that circulated and as he thought about them Birkhoff returned his eyes to his computer screen. While she hadn't set a record with her early Activation, she had definitely made a splash. The recruits that had been part of her initial group were often asked questions about her regarding to her lessons. Did she have any tricks? Was it true she got extra training? When he'd overheard the ones about whether or not Michael favored her, it had been the closest he'd come to setting them straight. But he could do nothing more than shut them up and turn the whispers on him instead.

Today however, as the students were filing out after some rather biting comments on how inept they were, he picked up on something that interested him. Apparently his new _Team_ had gained a nickname. It was only a matter of time before it happened. With the rumor mill the way it was, the recruits had nothing better to do than to give things nicknames. Back in his days with Nikita and Michael they'd been referred to as _Team Mikita_. Every time he heard it he wanted to gag. Of course poor old Birkhoff had been forgotten completely when it came to those two. He was nothing but the _Nerd_ that Nikita so famously referred to him as. While the three had a friendship as a Team, it didn't stop him from being annoyed by his partners. The amount of sexual tension they had practically _oozed_ through the coms and video feeds.

Now, however, the name they'd received actually caused him to smirk. **The Go Team.** It was so utterly cliché that he knew the next time he saw Alicia he simply had to tell her. It had a nice ring to it, and after all of the whispers he'd heard he knew why they'd been given it. Recruits rarely got there hand on any actual Intel about missions, but they always knew when one was going on. It was impossible to ignore the buzz up in Operations when a big one was in place. The Agents had to pass through the recruit floor to receive briefing up in the Command Center and recently Samson and Alicia had been coming and going on a regular basis.

On one such occasion Alicia had been stopped by a male recruit that she'd known in her training days. He had asked Alicia what it felt like to be out on the field, clearly eager to be out there himself. "Best way I can describe it is _fast_," she'd responded with a smile as she caught sight of Birkhoff approaching. Before the recruit could pester her any further, Birkhoff had commandeered the situation. His presence shut the young man up, and Alicia had asked, "Is it Go time?" with a devious smile as they left for Operations.

Birkhoff could almost picture the kickass t-shirts they'd have if their life were a movie. Granted, he'd tweak the plot a little bit. He'd remove Amanda and her rules from the picture; she was unneeded. Instead the way it _should_ be would finally come to be and the real ass kicking could begin. They already had the four B's down: Beauty, Brawns, Brains and the Bossman. It was the perfect recipe for a legendary spy-fi movie as he called them. With Samson as the Brawn he'd cover the action alongside the Beauty: Alicia. Only unlike the clichéd flicks they had those days it would be the Brain who got the Beauty.

He was in the middle of absentmindedly dreaming up details and almost missed the vibrate of the phone in his pocket. Pulling it out of his pocket he looked down at the message he'd received. **Got called in by A. **His eyes flickered to the time, surprised to see it was nearing midnight. In the secluded computer lab he'd been left alone to tweak new simulations for the recruits. _What's dragon lady want now?_ He wondered bitterly.

In Amanda's office Alicia was wondering a similar thing. "I'm sure you're wondering why I called you in at such a late hour," Amanda asked as though reading her mind.

"Is there an update on tomorrow's Operation?" she asked, brimming with curiosity. Alicia made no attempt to hide the sparkle in her eyes as she smiled at the woman before her. The current Intel on her particular client was pointing towards it being an interesting job.

With a motion Amanda gestured Alicia forward to the vanity. "Not yet," she responded sweetly, sitting Alicia down on the seat, "but that will soon change." Her perfectly manicured fingers picked a jumpdrive from the vanity desk and held it up. "This will provide Birkhoff with everything he needs for the closed circuit video feeds," as she spoke there was a devious glint in her eye, "and I would like for _you_ to give it to him."

Alicia didn't understand why she would be giving this to her at such an odd hour, but her brain worked it over quickly. "You want me to initiate the next step?" she asked, voice a little hesitant.

Amanda moved to the back of the chair, positioning Alicia's auburn waves over her shoulders as she gave a sad smile in the mirror. "It's an unappealing assignment, but I trust in your abilities. When you go in to give him this," she handed forth the USB drive, "you will engage him."

"Where shall I approach him?" she asked, a little sense of dread tugging at her gut.

"Seymour can be found in the computer lab. I won't be able to provide an earpiece so it's necessary to use a room with both video and audio access. In order for me to have my little talk with him," Amanda smiled even as she spoke, her head tilted slightly as she met Alicia's green eyes in the mirror, "I need to have evidence."

Suspicions confirmed, Alicia gave a small nod and kept her expression professional. It wasn't a surprise that Amanda would want to monitor this step, as uncomfortable as it would be. She had seduced plenty of targets with all of Operations watching and by all means this was just another mission. This was her first official bedroom assignment and it seemed almost fitting that it would be a computer lab with the Head IT. There'd be no needing to use her imagination and if anything they could just view it as roleplay. She smirked inwardly at that.

Amanda patted the top of her head softly before continuing. "You will need to shed your innocence and be the commanding presence. Show him a new Alicia, one that he's never seen before. I trust in your training," her burgundy lips pulled upwards, "and leave the details up to you." Scheming eyes took in her appearance, trying to decide if any adjustments needed to be made. Her hands drew back the soft locks of the young woman, bunching them up at the back of her head. "You should wear your hair up," she commented, holding the in place with one hand as the other grabbed a hair band, "to broadcast you're not wearing an earpiece. Being the instigator will win him over only after he eliminates the possibility of a threat."

"I'll make sure his mind is otherwise occupied," Alicia smirked softly, allowing her hair to be adjusted by Amanda's skillful hands.

When she finished she moved towards the door and Alicia rose, following after the woman who wore a devious smile. "When you are finished you are free to go home. I'm sure you'll want to get cleaned up," she chuckled darkly, "and get some rest for tomorrow." Amanda dismissed the young woman and watched her retreat down the hall with a glint in her eyes. Watching the infuriating man become putty in her star pupil's hands was something she'd been looking forward to, as unappealing as the image itself would be.

When Birkhoff looked up to see Alicia striding into the dimly lit computer lab he was instantly reminded of the last time they'd been in this position. It had initially been what secured his interest in her. Knowing that she would risk everything just to avoid the mere possibility of him getting in trouble had spoken volumes to him. Now, however, he was concerned. "Alicia?" he froze, giving her a suspicious look. "What are you doing here?"

Knowing that Amanda was watching, and listening, she submerged herself in her role. _We have got to be the most complicated couple_, she couldn't help but think even as she approached him with a coy smile, _in the entire world_. She felt his eyes flicker over her warily as she perched on his desk, crossing her legs as she held up the jump drive. "Amanda wanted me to get this to you," she informed him, a glint in her eye.

Birkhoff picked up on her strange body language quickly, his mind clicking as he realized what was going on. "It couldn't wait until tomorrow?" he asked, hesitantly reaching out to grab the device.

"I wanted to get it to you as soon as possible," she responded easily, her voice a soft purr. Alicia watched as he plugged the device into his computer, pulling up the work he'd just been given. She leaned back on her elbows, casually scanning him with her eyes. Birkhoff looked up nervously at her, to see she was smirking. "You know, you're a difficult man to get alone," she teased, casually slipping off her shoes with her feet.

"Yeah well I'm a popular guy," he muttered, pushing the hair from his eyes. He knew what she was there for, and he also knew that they were being watched. While he had known that Amanda would want to monitor the situation he'd never expected she'd spring Alicia on him in _Division_. Birkhoff didn't even have to fake his apprehension.

Alicia was surprisingly comfortable in her role, liking the way that he seemed to grow tense. While they'd always been playful with each other she'd never been so straightforward with him. It was almost invigorating to be in the position of power, and she played her role with a newfound enthusiasm. "You look so tense Birkhoff," she whispered coyly, running her foot up his calf.

His hand froze on the mouse, eyes slowly turning up towards her. "Is there something else you wanted sweetheart? Because if not I've got work to do," he motioned to the screen, "this isn't going to be of any use if I don't prep it."

"Actually there _is_ something I want," her smoldering green eyes held his captive as she slid her foot up into his lap.

For a moment he was unmoving, eyes locked on hers, before clearing his throat nervously. "Uh Alicia-"

"I've seen you watching me," she cut him off smoothly. His mouth opened to say something more, but she stopped him with a naughty smile. "I've been watching you too," she purred, inching her foot further up his thigh, "and you've impressed me Birkhoff. That's not an easy thing to do."

He was momentarily locked in her intense gaze, unable to speak. Alicia was oozing sex appeal in her casual cockiness, and it was a side of her he'd never seen. Birkhoff knew she was playing her part but the way his heart began to race alerted him that this fact was irrelevant. If it wasn't for the cameras rolling he'd already have pounced on her. "I'm flattered to hear that toots, but I don't think-" his words fell short as he inhaled at the sensation of her foot moving to gently rub over the crotch of his jeans.

"What?" Alicia questioned smugly, leaning forward to flash a killer smirk. "Don't tell me you bought into that whole little miss innocent act?" she gave an amused little scoff. When he didn't answer she gave her head a slow shake. "Oh Birkhoff, I expected you of all people would be smarter than that," her tone was playful as her foot began to gently rub in his lap.

Up in Operations Amanda watched, Clint at her side as he took in the feed he'd been requested to bring up with shock. The man had found it unusual that Amanda had requested a techie at such a late hour when there were no ongoing Operations being monitored, but nonetheless had answered the call. His eyes turned to the woman to see that she didn't look remotely surprised. Her order to pull up the video and com for the computer lab had seemed strange but he quickly realized that the woman had known what the screen would show. It didn't stop him from being shocked, watching the rendezvous on the monitor in wonder.

She hopped down from the desk, an evil idea coming to mind as she eyed Birkhoff sitting there in nervous anticipation. _Since I have to do this,_ she made up her mind as she climbed into his lap, _I may as well enjoy it_. Settling herself as deep onto his lap as she could, she smiled deviously. "I want to see this _Shadow Walker_ in action," Alicia dared him, "unless you're not up for a challenge?"

Birkhoff looked down at Alicia in his lap, getting a good view down her shirt. He exhaled a little breath, scooting the rolling computer chair forward so he could reach around her to the keyboard. "What did you have in mind sweetheart?" he whispered huskily into her ear. If the circumstances were as everyone believed them to be, then at this point he wouldn't have bothered to hold back. Had they not had a secret relationship, and only been the playful coworkers they appeared to be, he still would have caved. After all, he had a beautiful girl on his lap interested in his computer genius. The entire thing resembled a fantasy he would be likely to have.

"The homework I just gave you, what is it?" she asked, taking in the screen with interest.

"_This_," he informed her, clicking a few windows open on the screen to draw up a compilation of data, "is a configuration of the estate's security system we'll be infiltrating tomorrow. I can only peek at it for a two hour window before it's alerted of my presence and the drawbridge rises." Birkhoff saw no reason not to tell her, and he started to type in a few commands to show her what he was doing. While he didn't know where she was going with this he knew what the outcome of this little shindig was supposed to be. He trusted in her approach, and decided to go with the flow. And so far the flow was feeling pretty damn good.

"How long will it take you to work your magic?" Alicia pushed, a smirk sliding onto her face. She was looking forward to what she was about to do, and decided _fuck the cameras._ This was still an assignment and she wouldn't hold out.

He ran over the figures in his mind, working out what he'd have to do. "I'll be calibrating a device to tap into the system and relay it back to me," he filled her in, "which is no walk in the park. With my skills I can get it done in thirty minutes or so."

She reached down between her legs, startling him with a hand on his crotch. "I guess I'm not the only one turned on by computer talk," Alicia teased, her fingers nimbly unzippering his jeans and grabbing him. She could feel the man stiffen in more than one definition of the word and she bit gently on her lower lip. "I _really_ want to see you work," she breathed, leaning back into his chest to grind against him, one hand releasing him from his boxers.

Birkhoff's hands found her hips, latching on as he forced out a low breath. He didn't care that Amanda was probably smirking away at his image back in Operations; he was riled up. Alicia being naughty and in charge was making his blood burn, and he buried his mouth in her bared neck, his beard ticking against her skin. "That could be arranged," he smirked into her neck. _Most guys only dream of stuff like this,_ he thought smugly, _and here I am getting sexed up on Division's dime._

Alicia grabbed his hands, pulling them from her slowly. "I want to see it _now_," she insisted, voice laced with lust, "and I've got a proposition for you _ShadowWalker_."

The way she said his name drove him crazy, and he pulled his mouth from her neck. "What kind of proposition?" he asked, eager to find out. Whatever she had in store he was certain it was going to be thoroughly enjoyable.

"We'll have a little competition. If _ShadowWalker_ finishes before you do, then I'll come to play again," she practically purred.

"Before I finish what?" Birkhoff asked, a chill running down his spine.

Instead of answering with words she used her body, taking him inside with a lowering of her hips. His reaction was instant, hands snapping back to her hips as he inhaled a sharp breath. "Ah-ah," she scolded him, grabbing his hands and moving them to the keyboard, "I want to see you in action first. Impress me with your skills and finish your homework before I finish _you_; then you can touch. If you're as good as you say you are then it should be no problem for you, right _ShadowWalker_?" She practically moaned his name as she rolled her hips gently.

Taking in her words, a confident smirk grew on his face. "It'll be my pleasure sweetheart," he purred into her ear. Arms reaching around her he laced his fingers, cracking them before lowering them to the keys. The moment he began to work she began to move, driving him crazy with every passing second. More than once he gave in, his hands finding her body, only for her to return them to the keys. He could feel from her body that, despite the fact they were putting on a show, she was enjoying it as much as he was.

Amanda watched on her screen as Alicia stole the show with a winning performance. The man was completely won over by her and the cocky control she kept up had the man playing right into her plan. He was whispering things in her ear too quiet for the mike to hear over her breathy moans as he focused intently on the screen, a sheen of sweat forming on his brow as he concentrated with all his might. She'd never seen his fingers fly so fast and made a note to congratulate Alicia killing two birds with one stone.

When he finally withdrew his hands from the keys, the completion alert taking precedence on his screen, Amanda was genuinely surprised. She hadn't expected him to be able to hold out for so long, and when he quickly stood up the seat rolled backwards with the force of his movement. Just as he bent Alicia over the desk, pulling her dress off over her head, Amanda ordered Clint to close out of the window. "Looks like Seymour Birkhoff truly is more than he appears," she commented in an offhanded manner to herself.

She'd forgotten Clint was still sitting in the seat, eyes wide as he swallowed unevenly. "Are you going down there to stop it?" he asked despite himself.

Her cool eyes flickered down to him, taking him in with a sweep of her eyes. "No, I think Alicia has earned some fun, don't you?" she asked, a chilling smile on her lips. It was a rhetorical question, and the stunned expression frozen on his face gave her an idea. "I see no harm in allowing her this little escapade. I'll have a talk with them of course," she informed him easily, "and we will monitor the situation from there."

He gave a brisk nod, still not believing what he'd just witnessed. The young Agent had always come off as so sweet and innocent; so pure. While he knew she was a trained Division Agent, and he'd seen firsthand how unflinchingly she killed, he still hadn't expected _this_ of her. Clint had picked up on the fact she actively admired the Head IT's skills, but he hadn't known it was to this intensity. It only made him all the more uncomfortable to be under the Inquisitor's eye. It was no secret that Alicia was one of her _pets_, and the woman's reputation proceeded her, but he hadn't thought Alicia to be anything other than she appeared.

"What is your name?" she asked, snapping him from the internal dialogue he had going on.

"Clint Chape," he answered quickly, not sure if he liked having her attention.

Amanda took note of his name, committing it to memory. "Chape I trust you to keep this between us. I don't need want any unexpected developments until I get a read on this situation," she commanded before turning to leave. "You can go home, I'll call on you when I need you next," she added before slipping from Operations to return to her office with a smile on her face.

Alicia would have been smiling if she wasn't breathing so hard, Birkhoff's upper body going lax over her as he too panted. She could feel the sheen of sweat between them, a few smears on the smooth black surface of the computer desk she was bent over. One of his hands reached up, moving her mess of hair from her face to place a kiss on the nape of her neck. "Aphrodite," he purred into her ear, hot breath tickling her skin, "goddess of pleasure."

Beneath him she chuckled, unable to help but give a moan as he shifted behind her. When she'd started the little challenge she had known it would drive him crazy, but it had wound her up just as much. The mix of watching him work with riding him had gotten her so worked up that she hadn't bothered to hide the fact from him. His groans of pleasure, eyes on the screen as she watched him work, had nearly pushed her over the top. If it hadn't been for his hands snapping to her, causing her to stop moving in order to return his hands to the computer, she would have lost it before he finished either of his tasks. Unlike her cover she _did_ want him to gain release, and had restrained herself from riding him at too quick of a pace so as to give him enough time to finish his little assignment.

The moment he got the confirmation screen he had ended their torment and took the reins. Pushing the keyboard roughly to the side he replaced it with her torso and put his lust to use. Luckily female Agents had diaphragms issued at the same time as their trackers and he'd had nothing to worry about when he finished with a groan, collapsing on top of her. For a minute they stayed like that, his chest covering her back as he kept her bent over the table. The rise and fall of their chests were in perfect tune as they both panted, hearts racing wildly.

As much as Alicia wanted to enjoy the moment longer she knew that wasn't an option. She took a few deep breaths, steadying her heart rate as Amanda had coached her to do. She slipped her hands down to rest beside her breasts before pushing off from the table, forcing the man behind her to straighten up. Birkhoff groaned again as he slid out of her, taking a small step back. He didn't have time to compose himself before she was on the move and snatching her discarded dress from the floor.

Birkhoff's eyes scanned over her, catching sight of the raw red line that crossed over her upper thighs. "Are you-"

She swatted his hand away when he reached out to touch the mark, cutting his worried question short. "Ah ah," she scolded, waving a finger as she stepped back from him, "no touching." Without another word she pulled the dress down over her head, covering up her body with the dark fabric. He watched, navy eyes flashing as they met hers. There were no questions there; he knew what her part required. Alicia's eyes flickered down to his open pants and motioned to them in an offhand manner.

He took the hint, tucking himself back into his boxers and zippering back up his blue jeans. Birkhoff flashed a smirk as he reached up to shove his hair back from his face. "You didn't seem to mind a few seconds ago," he taunted, eyes taking in her disheveled state with a sweep of his eyes.

"What can I say," she shrugged easily, perching on the desk she'd been bent over just minutes ago, "I'm insatiable when I'm impressed." When she pointed to her shoes on the ground he'd already stooped to pick them up before he realized what he was doing. The air of confidence mixed with indifference around her made him feel almost lost. "That rework you used was _genius_," Alicia gushed, an almost dreamy look on her face, "how much time did it save?"

"Ten minutes," he responded, eyes flickering to the screen. Birkhoff had always been a mastermind with computers but she was right; that had been genius of him.

Alicia pulled on her shoes, eyes over on the screen as well. Behind the confirmation dialogue box was an array of coding windows he'd had running. "I thought you were boasting on half an hour," she admitted, getting to her feet once more. Her emerald eyes met his, positively sparkling with a lustful curiosity. While she couldn't even dream of doing what he did, she was undeniably interested in hearing about his work. Those computer skills of his were a turn on regardless of the assignment she was carrying out. "How did you think of it?" she just had to know.

As he'd worked he had whispered in her ear every now and then about what he was doing to try and keep his mind on track. When the idea had hit him he'd suddenly gone quiet and intense as his fingers flew and worked it out as he went. "I was motivated," he shot back, stepping in closer to her.

Her hand fluttered up to his chest, green eyes turned up with a devious glint. "Not so fast _Seymour_," she purred his name with a smug expression, "don't get ahead of yourself." With a little push she backed him up a step and slipped around him.

"_You_ came to _me_," he reminded her, raising her a brow and flashing her a cynical smile.

"You're right, and that's the only way this works. If I think you have something to offer, I come to you. Otherwise as far as I'm concerned _this_," she motioned between them, "never even happened." With expert fingers she fixed her wild hair. Her auburn locks fell perfectly around her shoulders, a playful smile tugging her soft lips upwards.

"No wonder you're _Amanda's Pet_; you're a wolf in sheep's clothing," Birkhoff narrowed his eyes on her, responding to her cocky attitude.

Alicia was smirked as she straightened out her dress. "We'll have to do this again sometime _ShadowWalker_," she said coyly, turning on her heel to start across the room. "Oh, and you might want to let Amanda know you finished," she threw over her shoulder with a wink as she passed through the doors. Playing naughty Alicia was actually rather fun.

Her cocky attitude fell the moment she turned the corner to come face to face with Percy of all people. From the look in his eyes blue eyes she knew that he knew _exactly_ what she'd just walked away from. "Alicia," he greeted her with one of his usual cool smirks.

She put on her disarming smile, defaulting back to her usual lighthearted self. Alicia knew that he was aware of her current assignment. While she hadn't considered Percy would watch in, she realized it had been silly to assume Amanda was the only one who would know about the nitty gritty of it all. The presence of her boss intimidated her, but she didn't let it show. "Percy," she nodded in response, "I was just on my out."

"As it so happens, I am too," he gave a knowing smile, gesturing her forth. She didn't ask any questions, and fell into step beside him as they started down the dim hall. Percy's cool blue eyes turned over to her, and she met them with an easy smile. "Michael mentioned you'd like more advanced knife training?" he asked conversationally.

Alicia nodded, the subject matter calming her down completely. She'd never feared her boss before, but he was a powerful man and the one responsible for giving her a second chance. "I'd love to make it one of my specializations," she confirmed with a small nod.

"I'll have it arranged," he reached out, accessing the elevator. Alicia stepped in past him, watching as he hung back a second before settling in and pressing the button for the parking garage. "There is one thing I find peculiar," Percy's casual tone was oddly chilling.

Her eyes flickered up to meet his, brow furring a little in interested confusion. "About what?" she asked, unsure what he was referring to.

"About _you_ Alicia," his ice blue eyes took her in before locking onto hers. "For someone with your particular history I find it unsettling how casually you're willing to use your body," Percy's gaze was probing and smothering all at once.

"If it wasn't for Division," Alicia answered honestly, eyes unblinking, "I would be dead." She could feel him trying to read deeper into him, and that distrust worried her into continuing. Without Division she was nothing, and if Percy questioned her devotion then that meant she still needed to prove herself. "I will do whatever it takes to earn the opportunity I've been given," she added with a determined smile.

For a minute he searched the wide emerald eyes that stared over at him. The young woman appeared to be telling the truth, and the words out of her mouth were the perfect example of Amanda's brainwashing being successful. "No wonder Amanda is so fond of you," he responded casually. The doors opened and he stepped out into the parking garage and he gave her a brisk nod of dismissal. As she walked up to her car his eyes followed, taking in her relaxed demeanor.

Alicia had once more exceeded his expectations tonight. When he caught wind Amanda had called in a techie he knew that she must have preceded in her little pet project, and he'd proceeded to fulfill his curiosity. He had to hand it to the two women; they'd handled the resident prodigy perfectly. Birkhoff had been unable to resist the young Alicia, and he couldn't blame the man. Even from the distant view the cameras provided he'd been able to feel the power-lust the Agent was emitting. She had quite literally stroked his ego with a skillful performance.

Percy no longer regretted allowing Amanda this whim. He knew this little assignment wouldn't produce any incriminating evidence on Birkhoff. The Head IT had a position of power and he wouldn't risk it even for the likes of Nikita. Seymour Birkhoff was a coward comfortable with his current lifestyle. Now, with this little project, he'd be given another reason to stay trustworthy. Alicia would provide him with some satisfaction and much needed release, and he would in turn be more motivated to work.

_Maybe I need to find Michael a distraction too,_ he thought, an amused smile creeping onto his face. It wouldn't take more than a wave of his hand to have one assigned. Division presented many pawns; and Percival Rose was the undisputed chess master.


	14. Cracks in the Wall

Samson watched as Birkhoff disappeared down the hall, a dark expression on his face. Eyes flickering over to Alicia and Michael, who were in the middle of a conversation, he smirked. The man had been called off to Amanda's after briefing, and he believed he knew the reason why. The Head IT, as capable as he was, behaved like a child. There was no off button on his snarky remarks. But it wasn't his attempt at humor or bragging that was rubbing the Agent the wrong way; it was how he spoke to Alicia.

He knew firsthand how sociable his partner was. If it wasn't for the fact he'd trained with her than he would have underestimated her like the targets she handled. Despite her disarming smile and naturally sweet appearance she was an accomplished killer. Yet Birkhoff didn't seem to grasp that. The pet names he called her, his casual way of talking to her and how his eyes always flickered over her- Samson didn't like it. When the man bragged about his skills Alicia bought into it because she was friendly, but the delusional Birkhoff thought it meant something. _Amanda's probably setting him straight right now_, he thought smugly.

The moment Michael's hand left Alicia's shoulder and excused himself from the room, Alicia's eyes found Samson's. "What did Ol' Smokey have to say?" he couldn't help but ask, taking in her happy expression.

"I've got a lesson in knife play to attend," she informed him, shifting the clothes Michael had brought her in her arms.

His eyes flickered over the white dress she wore. Another successful mission under their belt, they had just finished with briefing and hadn't had time to change yet. Usually she would have left for Amanda's to change, but seeing as Birkhoff had been called in for a talk she wouldn't be able to. "Don't tell me he's still worried about that scratch?" Samson questioned as he returned his sidearm to the armory.

"No," she rolled her eyes, pulling her hair from its updo, "I asked for more training."

"You know," he smirked, brows raised in amusement, "you are _the_ definition of teacher's pet."

Alicia laughed, fixing her hair around her shoulders with one hand while the other clutched her training clothes to her chest. "I'm not looking for brownie points, I want to make it one of my specializations," she informed him.

His eyes took in the deep V of her dress as he started to remove the Kevlar vest he wore. Once more she'd run distraction for him, keeping the target's attention on her so he could do the dirty work. Alicia was good at combat, but Samson knew he was the muscle of the team. No amount of training could make up for her naturally small build. He could take the hard hits while she danced around them. They balanced each other out perfectly. "Break their hearts and then stab them in the back," Samson chuckled, a mischievous glint to his hazel eyes, "so very Alicia."

She smiled in response, watching as he returned his vest and locked the hold. "What can I say? Knocking these cocky criminals down a notch is fun."

Samson grinned at the sparkle in her eyes. "You know, I can't even picture you in your old life. One minute I think you were the cute librarian," he teased in a smooth voice, "and the next I'm watching you slit a throat and having second thoughts."

"Cute librarian? What are you trying to picture me in; a pornography?" Alicia scoffed, giving a small shake of her head.

He smirked, holding out a hand for the clothes she held. "No, I had enough time to do that during Situations," Samson teased even as she rolled her eyes, already knowing what he would say. Though he often annoyed the heck out of her, at especially anything related to Birkhoff, they still had an unusual friendship formed. She didn't really know how it had happened, but handed over her clothes without a word.

They started down the hall to finish changing in the general privacy of the of the co-ed locker room. Samson had his suit jacket and button down slung over one shoulder, Alicia's training clothes in his hand. As a strike Team passed them they shared nods, Alicia wearing her welcoming smile. She always got a kick out of seeing how fellow members of Division reacted to her easy going attitude. It was the same when Roan came into view and he slowed to a stop in front of the pair.

"Roan," she greeted him with a smile.

"Have you finished with debriefing?" he asked, cool blue eyes not even regarding Samson. The Cleaner had the same straight-to-business attitude that he always did, and Alicia was glad of it. She always knew what to expect of the man.

"Just on my way from there now," she acknowledged.

For the first time she realized he wasn't in his usual field apparel. He was missing the usual long coat and was instead in a black shirt that almost seemed to make his hair glow platinum in the iridescent lights of Division's hall. "Practice has been moved to Sub-Level twelve," he informed, tilting his head the slightest bit to watch for a reaction.

Roan knew just what to expect of the young woman as well. When Alicia flashed that disarming smile of hers, eyes lighting up in pleasure, he knew she had just put two and two together. "Michael didn't tell me you'd be my instructor," she sounded happy at this revelation.

Samson thought she was incredible, not bothering to hide that he was watching her talk to the Cleaner. Once he'd become an official Field Agent he had found more information on the Active that Alicia had taken out. While the files were above his clearance level, he had been able to get the details from a fresh faced techie. She'd been more than happy to relate back what she knew of the Op. He knew that Alicia had been accompanied by Roan, and that Operations had gone into a state of panic when the Cleaner had told her to go on to take out the Primary. Somehow the young woman had the man's respect- or as much as he'd give to someone who wasn't Percy.

He waited until they were down the hall and clear of Roan before he asked the first question tugging at his mind. "You're getting lessons from _him_," he caught her green eyes in his as he held open the door to the locker room, "on the designated torture level and you're _excited_?" When she raised her brows and gave him sassy smile. Samson just chuckled and shook his head, running a hand over his short brown hair. "Okay, see this is what makes me wonder if Amanda picked you up from the funny farm," he pointed to her playfully.

She just laughed and shook her head. "If Roan was going to kill me there'd be a reason," Alicia pointed out casually, undoing the tie on her dress. "Seeing as I haven't given anyone a reason to do anything but love me," she smirked, "I don't see any reason to do be anything but excited. I get to learn a specialization under the guide of Percy's number one Cleaner."

Samson stepped up, waiting until Alicia offered him her back to talk. "How _did_ you find your way to Division?" he asked curiously, sliding the zipper on the white gown down. He idly pushed the waves of her hair over her shoulder with his free hand.

He watched her shoulder muscles as she shrugged. "Same way as anyone else; I went to prison," Alicia gave the answer in an offhand manner.

"What could and angel like you have done to get arrested?" he teased, a smirk playing across his lips.

She shot him a look over her shoulder, one brow raised. "Since when do we ask about each other's past?" she questioned him with a little surprised amusement. Alicia knew exactly what their relationship was, and it was muscle deep. He acknowledged her skills and capability as an Agent, and happened to think she was attractive as well. It was her success that he was interested in.

"Well we are a Team now," he pointed out, sliding the sleeves of her dress down her arms, "and we'll be seeing a _lot_ more of each other." Samson paused, holding the dress open for her midway down her thighs, watching her legs as she stepped out of it. They'd been paired together so often that they had a sort of fluidity together. On or off the field everything they did synchronized naturally. It was the outcome of being trained as a set in Amanda's class. The two had gotten so used to acting and reacting properly with each other they did it instinctively now.

"I don't know about your past," she pointed out, "or Birkhoff's. They don't even exist anymore, remember?"

"Birkhoff knows about ours," Samson said firmly. At his words Alicia turned, looking up at him with a questioning stare. He folded her dress over his arm before picking up the clothes he'd set on the bench and handing them to her. "We both know the geek's read _everything_ in your files," he shot her a smug look before continuing, "and he's probably taken a look into mine."

"Oh, so once you're done asking me about my past you'll ask him about his? Since this is about us being a Team," she challenged, one brow raised as she regarded him with a dubious look.

His eyes took in the wrap around bra she wore as she stooped to pull on the black yoga pants. It wrapped around her back, clinging to her body until it came to a stop just few centimeters from showing too much on either breast. Samson hadn't thought the dress could possibly be worn with a bra, but now that he saw it he understood. He silently insulted whoever had come up with it before meeting her eyes to respond. "What's there to find out with him? He was a hacker, he got caught and he still spends his time with computers. But _you_," he smirked as his eyes flickered over her, lingering on the knife that she was sheathing onto her thigh strap, "you're fascinating."

Alicia shot the man an amused smile. "Oh you'll have to try better than that Samson. I know you're capable of being more suave," she teased with a small laugh and the shake of her head.

"Oh, you'd like suave?" he asked, lowering his voice to a playful purr. Samson never turned down a challenge. "I seem to remember you had a weakness for Situation 7," his eyes scanned over her face, watching for her reaction to this comment. She masked her feelings and he knew he'd surprised her. Stepping forward he closed the distance to them to barely a foot, looking down into her wide green eyes. He could catch the flash of determination in them, and he masked his face with an expertly intense expression.

Through lessons with Amanda he'd paid rapt attention to the young woman who was his partner. She was good; a real natural at it. When she became his partner everything clicked suddenly. If it hadn't been for her then he wouldn't have shown nearly as much interest in it. But he did, and he'd spent enough time watching her to spot some of the chinks in her armor. Alicia was a fan of literature, and he'd been saving that tidbit of information for a time just like this. Hazel eyes burning down to hers he filed through his thoughts quickly before pulling up the perfect material to use.

"She walks in beauty, like the night," he began to recite in a soft almost seductive voice, "Of cloudless climes and starry skies; and all that's best of dark and bright," Samson paused, letting his voice hang in the air. His hand slowly lifted to her face, gently brushing her hair from her cheek and tucking it behind her ear. "Meet in her aspect and her eyes," he lowered his voice to a whisper, holding her eyes in his, "thus mellowed to that tender light…"

He didn't get to finish. Birkhoff cleared his throat, hands in the pockets of his sweatshirt as he stared at the pair. The look on his face was a mix of emotions. Dark brows rose in a question, looking more skeptically taken aback than anything. "Word of advice;" he said in his usual cynical tone, "save the Casanova act for the field."

Alicia drew back from the young man, pulling the spaghetti strap top down over her head. "What do you want? Because we were in the middle of something," Samson shot back without hesitating.

Birkhoff would have punched the guy if it wasn't for the fact he knew he'd get his ass kicked as a result. While Seymour was no wimp he'd never hold up against the powerhouse young agent. "Amanda heard you had lessons of the knife persuasion and sent your clothes to your old room," he informed Alicia, doing his best to ignore Samson, "so you can change there when you're done." He held up the keycard for her, trying to hold back from asking the questions he had about _why_ the Agent had been wooing her with poetry. Not to mention Alicia had been in her bra when he walked in- if you could even call it that.

"Thank you for playing errand boy," she flashed him a smile as she scooted around Samson to reach Birkhoff. As she took the keycard from him she asked with her eyes if he was okay. Alicia knew firsthand how little Amanda liked the man.

"Anytime sweetheart," he shot back, and the little smirk that was oh-so-Birkhoff told her everything was alright.

"How did Amanda's go?" Samson asked, sounding rather smug as he crossed his arms over his chest. One look at the cocky Agent and Birkhoff knew that he'd made some assumptions that involved him being punished.

Birkhoff was happy to disappoint. "Oh it went fine. She just told me about things I already knew," his navy eyes locked on Alicia's, a smug look of his own on his face. He'd basically just been told by Amanda he could have his fun with Alicia because the young woman admired him for _some insane reason_ and they didn't have to worry about it going anywhere. He had as much to tell Alicia as he had to ask her.

Samson stripped of his undershirt, setting it with button down he had on the bench. He could feel Birkhoff's eyes on him, sizing him up begrudgingly, and made a show of catching Alicia's eye with a smug smile. "So, how'd I do?" he asked, pulling a wifebeater down over his head.

She shrugged, not affected by his moment of shirtlessness. After all the times she'd seen him in, and been with him in, compromising positions she was no longer impressed by his wall of muscle. What had at first interested her when she'd arrived was commonplace now. All the Agents were fit. It almost seemed like a prerequisite, and she remembered it was on the checklist. Her eyes flickered over to Birkhoff, a smile slipping onto her face. Now _he_ was a man that she wouldn't mind seeing shirtless. "I'd say a seven, what do you think Birkhoff? He had good delivery," she turned her smirk to Samson, "but too predictable with the body language."

"Seven?" Samson challenged, meeting her eyes with a smoldering gaze.

"She's not easily impressed," Birkhoff mused with a confident smirk, "are you sweetcheeks?" He made no show of hiding his gaze flickering over her. After his little talk with Amanda it was only expected for him to be cocky.

"You know," the younger man growled, stepping up beside Alicia, "I'm pretty sure even Division has a harassment policy."

Birkhoff turned his navy eyes on the young man, giving him a belittling look. "Says the guy who was all up in her personal bubble," he scoffed.

"Whoa," Alicia butted in before things could escalate, "put your nightsticks away boys. We're all Teammates here."

Samson kept his gaze trained on the Head Technician, his gaze hard. He didn't like the snarky geek, not one bit. The way the man looked at Alicia bothered him, along with the way he seemed to be gloating about something. "Don't you have a screen to go sit behind?" he asked with a sneer.

Birkhoff tore his eyes away from the Agent to look instead at Alicia for a moment. "I do. So if you _want_ me," that gloating look he wore- often right after completing some technical feat –was back on his face, "you know where to find me." With another smug look her turned and strode through the door and back into the hallway.

It hadn't even closed when Samson turned on Alicia. "What was that about?" he asked, as perceptive as ever.

She would have sighed if she hadn't trained herself well enough not to. Amanda had said that Samson wasn't clued in on her Operation, but that just meant he didn't know she was supposed to be playing Birkhoff. It didn't mean, however, that he wouldn't find out about the going-ons between them. "I admire his skills," she answered with a sly smile. Giving him a hint of the truth is what he'd expect of her. Nothing ever came straight out from her unless she wanted it to.

"I'm sure he'd love to _admire_ yours," he shot back.

"Well who wouldn't," she rolled her eyes, not in the mood for his attitude right now. Samson was the type of guy you'd call an alpha male. He enjoyed owning the show and marking his territory. Three weeks after meeting him she'd made it clear that she would in no way be his. At first she had played with the idea, caught up in the excitement of the new exciting life she was starting. But she'd realized it wasn't worth it. There were plenty of female Agents he could, and did, sleep with. Alicia had no interest in becoming another one.

"Roan," Samson happily offered up, "no, he'd cut you up and bathe you in acid."

Alicia cocked a brow, meeting Samson's eyes. "Oh no," she warned him shaking her head, one of her hands finding her hip, "I'm not playing your game."

He smirked, following after her as she left the locker room. "You mean _our_ game?" he asked, falling into step with her down the hall. They used to challenge each other with targets. Usually it was other member's of Amanda's _special_ class. It had started out little; Get this guy to carry your lunch, or get this girl to share her milk. Then it had escalated. Time moved slowly as a recruit and for the pair mind games became as much for fun as it was practice. "You used to be able to get information out of anyone," he reminded her, "and you _loved_ it."

"We aren't recruits anymore Samson," she looked over at him. The dangerous glint to his hazel eyes was something she knew she had to handle before he got all excited. Once he wanted something he wouldn't back down. "I'm saying no," Alicia stressed, giving him a pointed look.

Samson reached out, scanning his keycard for the elevator. "Don't tell me you don't miss it," he shot her smug smile, stepping into the elevator alongside her, "because I know you do."

"What makes you think you know me at all?" Alicia asked, her voice soft and slightly amused. When her green eyes lifted to meet his they were laced with the sly smile she wore.

He stepped closer to her, standing toe to toe with her as he let met her gaze. "You know, they say your eyes are a window to the soul," Samson's voice cam low and cool. Before continuing, he reached out and pushed the button for her floor, never breaking eye contact.

"And you've seen my soul, have you?"

Knowing that she was too stubborn of a woman to flinch or shy away, he reached up and took a strand of her hair to twist slowly around his fingers. He watched its progress around his finger, talking smoothly as he did. "I've spent enough time watching you to know when you're running a show. You light up with excitement," he raised his intense gaze to meet her upturned eyes, "and determination. No matter what part you're playing your eyes are always spiked with confidence."

Alicia would have cut him off there, made some witty remark, but he interrupted her train of thought. Pulling gently on her hair that was twisted around his finger, he drew her attention to his hand instead. The moment her eyes were off of him he took the opportunity to continue. "In fact, the only time you're ever vulnerable is when you're being yourself," Samson loved the way her eyes flickered to his and stayed there. The slight narrowing of her eyes said it all, and he kept the smirk he usually would have worn locked away. "It's the look of the real Alicia, the one you keep locked away. Amanda's favorites all know how to do it but _you_," he let the hair unravel from his finger, "you've been doing it for much longer. I can see it in your eyes."

"You think you've figured me out," she breathed. It wasn't a question; it was a statement. A challenge really.

"I know I have," Samson flashed her a small smile. "You like playing a role, playing games with people, but I've seen that look in your eyes when something is real for you. When something," he rested his fingertips over her heart, "touches you."

The moment was one she expected of Samson, but something in her told her his words were sincere. There had been a few moments her guard had been lowered around him; she knew that. How he'd been able to distinguish it from just another one of her masks she wasn't sure. Nonetheless she kept up her current one. With Samson everything was always a game, he always had something he wanted. "That one was an eight," she smiled gently up at him, "still predictable on movements though." Without taking a step back her hand lifted to his, gently raising it from her chest.

Samson already knew she would, and he laced his fingers in hers before she had the chance to withdraw her hand. "Or I just know you," he challenged, raising the back of her hand to his lips.

"I'm not buying what you're selling," she responded, moving to take her hand back.

He tightened his hold, keeping her hand near his mouth. Catching her irritated eyes in his, he smiled deviously. "And there's a crack in the wall," he squeezed her hand a little tighter, "right _there_; when you stop playing the game and act on impulse."

Keeping her eyes wide, she leaned in towards him, face upturned as she kept up her steady gaze. "There's something I want to be clear about," she pressed her lips to the back of his hand, holding his brown eyes in hers. Alicia let her lips linger on his skin before pulling them back to smile sweetly up at him. "It's not going to happen," she said firmly, pulling her hand from his and turning towards the opening elevator doors.

His eyes were already to the well lit Sublevel Twelve that was displayed before him. Roan stood at a table, surrounded by a set up of lights to illuminate the otherwise dimly lit area. What caught his attention first, however, were the three dead pigs hanging from the ceiling. "Admit it," he grinned, "I'm growing on you." As he said it he hit the door close button, shutting out the view of Roan.

Keeping up her soft smile, she took a step back from him to lean casually against the elevator wall. "You're already my partner, what more do you hope to achieve? You sat in when Amanda informed me of Lesson One for Division Survival," though her words came out sweet her thoughts tasted cynical, "and you're wise enough to stick to flings. I seduce enough men for work Samson, the_ last_ thing I need is to task myself with pretending to be attracted to you for a week."

"Oh months for _you_;" he shot back, "we have chemistry."

"What is this high school?" Alicia couldn't help but scoff. "The only time we have _chemistry_ is when my role requires it. If it's not work then I don't bother with it," she shrugged casually. She felt like she was playing the role she had to with Birkhoff lately, though just the superior attitude. Samson usually knew when to back down but he was riled up for one reason or another.

"Oh, but the computer nerd is an exception?" Samson shot back. He didn't wait for her to reply before smirking. "I know there's something going on there. You forget we learnt those tricks _together_," his eyes showed how much he was enjoying this little confrontation, "and I know when you're running a game."

She knew that he'd pick up on it sooner or later. When she turned her report in to Amanda she'd find out how she wanted to go about handling this situation. In the meantime she could only go with the role her assignment as she play. "What can I say?" Alicia asked coyly with a little tilt of her head. "He's the legendary _Shadow Walker_," she purred, "and as long as he impresses me then it's worth it."

"So he gets to know everything about you _and_ he's getting a taste?" he didn't hide the grimace as he asked. "I don't think this Team is very balanced."

Alicia pushed the door open button, stepping away from the wall to do so. She shot him a dry look before starting from the elevator. When his hand made a move for her wrist she pulled it deftly away, turning to shoot him an innocent smile. "I killed three men," Alicia answered sweetly, "with _chilling precision_ according to the report. That's what got me here."

Samson followed after her every movement as she approach Roan, losing site only when the elevator doors slid closed. Instead he was faced with his reflection, and his eyes latched onto the hazel ones reflected back at him. There was something going on between Alicia and the computer geek, and he knew she was the one pulling the strings. She'd never make a play for Birkhoff if there wasn't something she was after. Thinking back on their games he had an idea; information. The nerd would probably be loose lipped the second she puckered hers.

Which only made him wonder _What does she want that's worth slumming with him_? It had to be something good if she was in this con for the long haul. They had been working together as a Team for the better part of three months, and since day one she'd been sucking up to the Head IT that was their com expert. Despite his teasing comments he knew better than to believe she was trying to play teacher's pet to Birkhoff. Whatever was going on Samson would find out; he didn't doubt it for a second. After all, that's what he was trained to do.

As he filed down the hall his eyes flickered over to the computer lab. It was dark, sitting empty until the next class tomorrow. When he had been a recruit Birkhoff had been a pain in the ass and Samson hadn't considered things could get much worse. Then Alicia came along and changed the man's attitude and everything was different. Now he acted like an overgrown boy who had such a crush on the young woman that he didn't even recognize he was being played. She playfully accepted his flirts, praising his skills which only fed into his delusion of grandeur. Worse yet was that she was often the instigator, starting the banter between the two as well as encouraging it.

Whatever she was doing with Birkhoff provided Samson with an opportunity. If he could find out her end game before she reached it, then she would have no choice but to let him in on it. Finding out her plan would give him the upper hand and right now that was exactly what he needed. Alicia had his interest, something that rarely happened when it came to women. There was no shortage of candy for his arm, but she would be the sweetest prize of them all. For so long he'd been sold as a package deal with Alicia that he'd come to honestly consider the idea along with all of its perks.

Amanda's two rising stars running a Team with a flawless record not only working together but _involved_. If anyone could keep their distance emotionally it would be Alicia and her walls. Samson knew that the alpha male atmosphere around him would always keep her on guard, keep her just distanced enough not to get attached. Both were to his favor if things panned out right. He'd be able to ward of any fellow Agents from going after his territory without having to worry about her mistaking it for a relationship. _We'd be the poster children for Division_, he smirked at the thought of it. As their success as a Team continued to grow they'd also be demonstrating how to observe Lesson One while remaining happily satisfied.

First he had to get Birkhoff out of the picture. Samson would get to the bottom of her little scheme and confront her. He would help Alicia, and once she got what she wanted he'd get what he wanted. She wouldn't be able to deny him. There _was_ chemistry between them; he hadn't been lying when he'd said it. Even if she was playing hard to get he knew that she wanted him. Besides, if Alicia didn't see his side of things he knew he'd be able to convince her in bed when the time came. Until then the fear of him going to the higher ups with what she was doing, or possibly outing her to Birkhoff, would keep her in line. They both knew he was faithful to Division; not her.

Birkhoff was devoted to Division as well, but he couldn't resist activating her tracker and checking in on her. She'd been offline for hours, her signal not broadcasting from the depths of the facility. After Amanda's little chat with him she'd sent him off with Alicia's clothes and the information that Percy had granted her request for extra blade training. The training floor was dead quiet however, and as Birkhoff left Operations to retreat into his office he was getting antsy. There wasn't any work that called for his attention, but he knew going back to his apartment would be pointless. He'd be called in before his head even hit the pillow.

Not that he was about to get any sleep at the rate he was going. He shuffled into his office, closing the door behind him with a groan. Between today's mission and having to sit through Amanda's crap he was worn thin. Today's psychobabble had been as curt and demeaning as always, and he hated to admit that the dragon lady was right. If he'd only known Alicia in the way Division believed he did then he wouldn't have been able to resist her, not after his little chat with Amanda.

When Alicia finally booted up her laptop he sent the **ShadowStalker** request straight through. It didn't matter that it was three in the morning or that he was going on his fourth energy drink since he'd retreated to his lab; the moment he had her image one his screen he relaxed. "Babe, am I glad to see you," he leaned forward in his seat, flashing one of his classic Birkhoff smirks.

"Rough day at the office?" she flashed him a smile, looking tired and energetic at the same time.

"I'm ready to request a vacation," he groaned, running a hand through his long hair, "and this was one of the good days."

Alicia fixed the pillow behind her, and he wished he was there on her bed with her. The fact that she knew him well enough to know he would want to talk to her the moment she got home made him feel a sense of happiness. She didn't mind his attachment to monitoring things and keeping tabs on her, and he felt damned lucky for that. Most people would find it smothering to know their partner could check in on them at any moment of the day. Instead she had her laptop ready to welcome him, on her lap as she relaxed on her large bed. "Does it have to do with your visit to Amanda's?" Alicia asked, curious to know how things had gone.

Birkhoff relaxed back in his chair, sticking his hands behind his head as he took in her image on her screen. "Well _after_ her usual venom laced psycho babble," he gave a little smirk, "she confronted me with the security feed of us in the lab. It was like a porno only with good acting."

"It did feel a little like one," Alicia admitted with a soft laugh. "So, watching that convinced you I'm _irresistible_?"

"No, though you do look killer on film," he teased, making a show of scanning her image on his screen with his navy eyes. They took in her wild auburn waves as they cascaded over shoulders, coming to rest over the deep purple silk nightie she wore. For a moment he let his eyes linger on the material that rested low on her breasts, coming close to exposing her yet fitted enough that it wouldn't allow him a peek if she moved.

When his eyes returned to hers it was to see she was shooting him a sly smile. "Well if it wasn't my pornographic debut for Division," she questioned, "what _did_ she use to convince you?" Alicia had been dying to know. It had been three days since their little romp in the computer lab, and she'd been waiting with baited breath to find out Amanda's next move. The sexual approach she'd been assigned made sense with Birkhoff's personality, but she didn't see how Amanda planned to persuade the genius that it was an acceptable endeavor.

"That woman is the wicked witch of the west," he grimaced, "I'm telling you. Only she could have a sour enough attitude to turn you praising me into an insult. She's all _for some reason she's fond of you_ and _I'll allow her this little misadventure_. It was like you're her favorite poodle and I'm the chew toy you're allowed to have."

She quirked a brow, taking in his irritated expression. "That doesn't make the idea of me seem very appealing," Alicia commented softly.

"Well," his expression lightened, "it was effective. Amanda looked so disgusted I felt like I just won the lottery. The idea of her little pet being interested in _me_ killed her, even if it was just an act. She had to make it clear she is letting it go on only because you aren't serious about it."

"I still don't see how that's compelling."

"I just got a hall pass to annoy the hell out of the dragon lady," Birkhoff laughed, leaning forward to grab the energy drink from the desk. He loved seeing Amanda upset, even if it was only because she was trying to incriminate him. "That and she had to admit to me that her _shining _star gets wet for my mad computer skills," Birkhoff laced his fingers and cracked them with a wry smile.

It was Alicia's turn to laugh, and she gave her head a small shake as she smiled at him. "Well who wouldn't?" she purred playfully.

The gold bracelets he wore slid down his wrist as he raised the energy drink to his lips, taking a few gulps before setting the can aside. "Not Amanda, _thank god_," he scoffed, not even wanting to picture that. She seemed like she'd be a dominatrix in the bedroom and that was not an image he ever wanted to see. "It looked like her forced smile was at its limits when she reached the topic. _She praises you,_" Birkhoff mimicked her snooty voice, "_or your skills rather. Alicia once said it would have taken you six minutes to accomplish what took her six years._"

The words registered in her mind quickly. It _was_ something that she'd told Amanda. "So much for her confidentiality promise," she muttered, rolling her eyes. Alicia had never had any problem with the woman, at least not until she'd started seeing Birkhoff. The more time she spent with him the more she realized how manipulating Amanda could be. She knew it was due to loyalty to Division, but it also made her realize just how expendable she was.

"You really said that?" Birkhoff asked, a little taken aback.

It was adorable how flustered he could get when praised, despite how often he bragged. Alicia didn't see how more people didn't recognize his genius, but she was happy to be the one who did. "It was after a few days in your class," she admitted with a nod, "during one of our sessions. You know, where she asks you how you're getting along and fitting in."

"Well next time you're hunting someone give me a call and we'll put that to the test," he grinned.

"You're on," Alicia smiled at him on his screen.

Once more his eyes flickered over her, basking in her image. "Same rules as the last time you gave me homework?" Birkhoff asked, his voice playful. "It could be another porno to add to the collection."

Alicia had to fight back a blush. It was kind of exciting, knowing a camera had been on them. As unladylike at it would be to admit, she'd enjoyed playing naughty Alicia with him. The entire thing had given her a rush and she'd be more than happy for a repeat performance. "That could be arranged," her emerald eyes sparkled with her words.

Poetry Excerpt is: She Walks in Light by Lord Byron.


	15. All Work and No Play

_Hey guys, SpikedTea here (aka JadedRein.) Thanks for giving my story a view! I know fics with OC's can be hard to read, but I felt if I did the Owen/Alex fanfic I had in mind that I wouldn't do it justice! Anywho, loving Nikita in the meantime. Routing for them though I know that it won't happen! Oh well, a girl can dream. _

_If you guys haven't yet please go on youtube and look up my Lesson One vids! So far there are two: A theatrical trailer and a music video. _

_Reviews are appreciated. Enjoy my dearies and thank you for reading. 3_

* * *

Samson's brow was covered in a sheen of sweat, a small bubble of blood on the corner of his lip. His fists were raised, blocking an attempt at his face. With a confident air he continued on in the fight with the tattooed man before him. The drone of the underground fighting club was just louder than the music they had blaring, and it set the scene perfectly. As he dodged a powerful right he ducked around the man, catching him roughly in the stomach with his fist. His eyes zeroed in on Alicia, confirming she was all right as he continued the fight. It wasn't possible for to wear an earpiece with their current covers.

She watched from beside his so called manager, a convenient Division asset, as Samson fought in the ring. Alicia was dressed to kill, and made sure to give off the attitude she was interested in nothing but the fight. There were no men for her to seduce this time, and all she had to do was play Samson's second; an easy role for her. When the fight finished it was no surprise Samson had won, and the smug smile as he approached her said he felt the same. Alicia handed forth the towel she held, flashing him her brightest smile. "You're bleeding," she pointed out sweetly.

"Not as bad as Ringo," he laughed, taking the towel from her. Samson patted dry his face, wiping the remaining Vaseline from his skin. "Where's Danny boy?" he asked, noting his manager's absence. It was busy all around them and he had to shout in order for her to hear him, even with him standing barely a foot away.

"He placed money on the fight," she laughed, taking the towel from him as he scanned the crowd. The man had practically run off the moment Samson had gotten his opponent, Ringo, into a stranglehold. "Couldn't wait to collect his winnings," Alicia added, patting his chest dry, "and get out of here."

Samson turned his back to her, and she patted it down with the towel as he stooped to grab his t-shirt from the black chair. "Did you get what you needed?" he asked as he pulled the shirt down over his chest.

"I did," she nodded, allowing him to sling an arm over her shoulder. He was radiating heat into her and the crowd they were making their way through was already stifling enough, but she smiled nonetheless. "We have a room at the Hilton and a breakfast date at eight," Alicia informed him in between the interruptions of apparent fans. It was easy to spot the important and consequently dangerous people who attended these underground fights. Somewhere among them was their contact who had managed to slip her the note then disappear.

If there had been cameras in the illegal basement arena Birkhoff would have had an eye on the guy, but there wasn't. He was left impatiently waiting for Samson and Alicia to check in once they arrived at the hotel and had access to a secure line. It was their first extended Operation as a Team and luckily it wasn't deep cover; the mission only lasted a week. Still, the lack of earpieces and the inability to track them in the underground fighting den gave him reason to worry. There was no way for him to know if something went wrong. The only constellation was that Alicia didn't have to seduce anyone this time around.

The two Agents were undercover as a married couple and partner arms dealers. Samson was Isaac Durden an unregistered MMA fighter who was in town for the illegal circuit. Alicia was his wife as well as the niece of a well known dealer in Vegas. Together they'd been sent to carry out an arms deal that had been in the workings for months. When they were transferred the funds Birkhoff would have means of tracing the money to its source. That's all they were after; a name. In order to get it they had to sell a few guns and make some money in the process, but it was all for the good of Division. They were doing the government's work after all.

Birkhoff was tired of waiting, tired of having her out on the field while he could do nothing to help. Instead he was working away on the other mindless tasks thrown his way. On his left hand monitor he kept up the trackers for the two Agents, glancing over at the **Offline** status every time he got the chance. If he didn't know better this Op was crafted with the intent to drive him crazy. He and Alicia had continued on with Amanda's little plan, and he had the distinct impression that the dragon lady wanted to up the ante by making him jealous with Samson. Normally he could handle seeing the two together, but it was now that he _couldn't _see them that he was worried.

He knew Alicia could handle herself, hell she could kick his ass easily. But they were in enemy territory and with Samson at her side he was left relying on the cocky Agent to watch her back. It also meant the chances of him being able to talk to her normally were next to none. Birkhoff wouldn't say he was _obsessed_ with her per say, but she was the first good thing in his life in a very long time. With Alicia he knew where he stood. Division came first, the only exception being when it came to their relationship. She was the one real thing in his world.

When the call came through he was the first to intercept it, quickly pushing aside his hair to slide on the headset. "City Morgue, how may I help you?" Birkhoff answered the call as he moved their tracker information to his main screen.

"A room in the Hilton for my final resting place," Alicia smiled as she relaxed into her seat, "I'm dead on my feet."

"You're one to talk," Samson pitched in, glancing in the rearview mirror, "I'm the one who went three rounds with Ringo."

She laughed, looking over at him in the driver's seat. One perk of being undercover meant that they were required to transport themselves. Instead of the back of a stuffy black SUV the pair was currently in a 2010 Acura ZDX, a car that made her question her loyalty to Alfred. Technically, according to the papers in the glove compartment, it _was_ already her car. Samson was the muscle and she was the money for this mission. All she had to do is sit back and play arm candy. "Still have a little blood on your lip," Alicia pointed out, brows raised with a gloating smile.

Birkhoff couldn't resist hijacking the GPS in the car, quickly gaining an image of the two. He smirked when he realized she was right, Samson did have a little bit of blood at the corner of his mouth. "Do you have a preference on rooms madam?" he asked, smiling mischievously the moment Alicia's eyes picked up his image on the screen.

"Something with a view of the street," she informed him, "and on the third floor."

"Get us as close to a stairwell as you can," Samson pitched in, hazel eyes flickering to the monitor in the middle of the console. He peeked his tongue through his lips, flicking it over the dried blood until it was gone. "No balcony and non smoking," he added, returning his eyes to the road. _It's not enough I have him in my ear_, he thought sourly of the IT, _now I have him in my car_.

Alicia gave him a sly smile, her spirit lifting at the knowledge he was with her. The last three times she'd been able to get alone time with him had all been under the guise of her assignment. As much fun as playing naughty Alicia was, she didn't like the high and mighty attitude she had adopted around him. It wasn't hard to act interested in his work, but it made her feel guilty every time she did it. She knew that her interest in him wasn't just because he was Shadow Walker, but the more time she spent playing that role the more impressed with his skills she became. Alicia didn't understand how someone like him could be with someone like her.

As she listened to his back and forth with Samson as they arranged the room, her eyes scanned idly over his face. While Birkhoff was _nothing_ like the other members of Division, he couldn't be counted as unattractive. Alicia loved the way he looked, loved the way he felt, loved having his voice in her ear and happily would chose him over any of the cookie cutter muscle men that she worked with. Birkhoff was funny, he could be sweet, and he was an undeniable genius with technology. She felt safer with the Head IT than any gun toting Agent she encountered.

She wasn't unique like he was. Sure, she had a pretty face and a smile that could melt the coldest heart, but that was all skin deep. Alicia could kill a man as many ways as she could seduce him, she could override systems and encode in her sleep but those weren't talents; they were learned skills. Division had given her those gifts. If it hadn't been for her second chance she would still be playing make believe and living from couch to couch.

In her early recruit days Birkhoff hadn't even given her a second glance, and she hadn't thought too deeply into it. Knowing his high rank in Division it had seemed like all she'd ever be able to do was watch him from afar. Behind a computer screen he was King, and it was what had first gained her interest. Hearing his fingers on the keys, taking in his profile as he worked on projects while the recruits ran their simulations; the man's presence demanded her attention. All she had to do was open her eyes and see the big picture and she was intrigued. He was cynical, immature, had a distinctive sense of humor and preferred a screen to anyone's company. But she'd seen past it, she'd known that if she could just him to smile she could see his true colors.

It had never been her plan to become attached. In truth it had been an adventure for her, making friends with Birkhoff. Samson was right when he said she loved games. While she hadn't been playing the man she had realized that his companionship would further her career in Division. Then something had happened. She'd gotten that smile out of him and it had stuck with her. Things clicked, she couldn't explain it, but his playful attitude had won her over. Alicia had never imagined the man would break down her walls and see the real Alicia that she'd hidden away from everyone else.

When they reached the hotel she made sure to flash a smile up at the camera just for Birkhoff before following behind Samson to their stop. "You'd think he could have swung a larger room," Samson grumbled the moment they made it to the hotel room.

"It was the only open one that fit our needs," she shrugged, not seeing why he was complaining. The room was no suite, but it was nice for a hotel. With the life she used to lead Alicia was used to a much lower standard of living. While she'd stayed with plenty of well off people, she'd also spent her fair share of time in dumps. There'd been more than a few nights spent in trailer parks and slums.

As Samson locked the door behind them he flashed her a dry smile. "Your _mastermind_ couldn't have cleared out a room?" he teased, eyes following her as she made her way to the window.

"Not when our target owns half the city, this building included," she responded, looking out towards the green California hills, "that would send up some red flags." Her eyes scanned over the streets below, taking in the people and their movements. As long as they didn't give anyone a reason to suspect they weren't who they said they were it was a relatively safe mission, but she was on alert nonetheless. One could never be too careful.

Samson's eyes danced over her as he hauled their bags onto one of the two queen sized beds the room offered. Her right wrist was littered with matt grey bracelets that matched the color of the buckle adorned boots that stopped just short of her knees. His eyes traveled up her legs to where the short slinky black dress she wore started. They followed her curves, taking in how stunning she looked. _My wife_, he thought smugly as she caught him staring at her and flashed him a bemused expression, one brow raised. "Done scanning for bad guys?" he asked, not bothering to cease his ogling of her.

"Enjoying the view actually," she turned her eyes back to peer out of the window, holding the curtain open with one hand. Regardless of the fact it was four in the morning there was quite a bit of activity on the streets.

Stripping of his shirt he stepped up behind her, looking out the window as well. The sun was so close to rising that the sky behind the hills was hued pink and orange. It looked like an image on a postcard, and his eyes flickered down to linger on her face. Her emerald eyes looked hazed, like she was somewhere else as she took in the sight. _Cracks in the wall,_ Samson thought smugly as he observed her face. "Why Mrs. Durden you do look tired," he commented, drawing her attention, "you should take a nap."

Alicia looked up at him, dropping the curtain from her hand. "Our meet is in four hours," she pointed out.

"I'll wake you," he offered, stepping away from her, his shirt slung over his shoulder. "I'm still amped up from the fight," he shrugged, striding into the bathroom and flipping on the light.

Samson didn't bother closing the door as he started stripping of his remaining clothes, and Alicia wasted no time in moving to the bed and out of the bathroom's line of sight. He was right, she _was_ tired. There was no point in staying up, and so she stripped of her outfit and opened the bag of clothes she'd been packed. When she was greeted with the sight of lingerie and silk she deftly picked one of the nighties out at random. "Wake me at six for briefing," she requested.

"What do you want for breakfast call?" he asked over the sound of the shower starting.

She climbed into the bed, lifting the menu from the bedside table. After a quick sweep of the options with her eyes she set it aside. "Egg White Omelet," Alicia decided with a smile. Just thinking of the food she was able to fall into a peaceful sleep. It was short lived however, and she was soon waking to Samson's voice.

"Morning sleepyhead," he greeted her, standing at the edge of the bed, "breakfast is here."

Alicia sat up, resting her back on the headboard as he set the plate in her lap. "You know, one of the only things I've never missed about being a recruit was the food," she smiled, wasting no time in taking a bite of the omelet. Meetings that took place at mealtime rarely included any actual eating, and there was a long day ahead of them.

"Which three do you want to bring to the meet?" he asked, walking to the other bed, motioning to the guns he'd laid out.

She cocked a brow, finishing another bite full with a swallow. "I'd say those," she motioned with her fork, "but shouldn't we wait for Michael to call?"

"I let you sleep through briefing," Samson answered easily, watching her face for a reaction. When she looked over at him her expression read, _Well, what did they say _and he resisted the urge to smirk. While eating was going to help Alicia through her day, knowing he'd avoided listening to her talk to Birkhoff was the highlight of his. "Nothing's changed. We go to the meet and make sure everything goes smoothly," he informed her, packing what he needed into a carrying case.

Her eyes shifted to the clock as she ate, watching as the red glow changed to 7:01. "A day full of sucking up," she sighed as she set aside her empty plate, "this'll be fun."

"Whatever it takes to make the sale," he agreed with a slight nod. They both knew that if they messed this up they would have to scrap the Op. If they didn't get Salvador Dìaz to approve of the product then there would be no sale, and failure was not an option. Samson was Point for this mission, and the details of their approach had been left up to him. Once they met the man he would be able to decide an approach that fit with the cover stories they'd been given.

Alicia climbed to the other side of the bed, dropping her feet onto the carpeted flooring. "At least I get to play dress up," she flashed him a mischievous smile as she leaned forward to the opposite bed to unzip her suitcase. There was no reason to hide her enthusiasm. Samson was right; she _did_ enjoy playing a role. After picking out some clothes she got to her feet, ruffling her hair with one hand as she strode past him and into the bathroom. The first thing she did was close and lock the door, glancing in the mirror. As tempting as it had been to argue with Samson about waking her up late it also hadn't been worth it. When he left for the gym, something his status as an MMA fighter required, she'd be able to talk to Birkhoff.

It felt unusual- not having him in her ear. They'd barely started the mission and already she found herself missing his voice. With how paranoid their target was she would be unable to wear an earpiece, and depending on where they went Birkhoff wasn't always able to have camera access. It could have been worse; she could have been going in blind and deaf. Instead she had Samson to rely on. His cover provided an excuse for an earpiece, giving him a hotline to Birkhoff. Alicia knew that she could depend on him as her partner; regardless of often he got on her nerves.

Birkhoff wasn't having such an easy time adjusting to being cut off from Alicia. He didn't like the fact that until they gained a small margin of Mr. Dìaz' trust she wouldn't be able to chance an earpiece. It meant he'd have to deal directly with Samson for the time being. His eyes tracked the couple as they made their way to the lobby, Samson with the carrying case in hand. They didn't even have the chance to sit before a man was approaching them, leading them straight out the front door. _Of course he'd insist they meet on his boat,_ Birkhoff thought dryly, _wouldn't want to make it easy on me. _The lack of cameras was _really_ cramping his style.

Samson didn't like the prospect of being isolated to the sailing yacht but he knew it was a test. Men like Salvador Dìaz didn't get where he was, or the connections he had, by putting faith in people. When in a position of power a man had to make sure the people he dealt with could perform under pressure. The second he was out of the car his arm slipped around Alicia's waist, flashing a smile down at her. "And you say I never take you anywhere nice," he teased, following behind the gun toting man in front of them.

Alicia's eyes sparkled as she took in the sight before them. It was as much the sunshine glittering off of the vast blue ocean before them as the boat they were approaching that got her heart beating. She'd never before been out on a yacht, let alone one with a course set for the ocean. "It doesn't count when it's for work," she responded with a coy smile.

The pair came to a stop before two men who both donned dark shades and equally dark suits. From the wand one of them held, and the way the man on the right extended his hand forward their purpose was clear. Samson handed over the case, keeping his eyes on it as he stuck his arms out and allowed himself to be patted down. When it came to the wand it went off the second it passed over his ear. "Hearing aid," Samson explained easily, setting the earbud in the man's palm.

The man turned it over in his hand, holding it up as he read the name imprinted on the device. Without a word he handed it to the man who had just finished checking the carrying case containing the guns. He finished his sweep of Samson without an issue, and moved on to follow the same procedure on Alicia. They motioned them onwards and Samson wasted no time, turning to Alicia the moment his feet touched the yacht's deck. His hands latched onto her love handles, easily picking her up and lowering her down onto the boat.

She relaxed, leaning up against the rail as they waited, despite the nervousness in her stomach. Samson hadn't been returned his earpiece yet and the man who had searched them stood with a watchful eye. Being unarmed with no eyes, no ears _and_ in the middle of the ocean was about as vulnerable as they could get. When they pulled from the dock her eyes turned towards the horizon deciding to enjoy the view as they waited for Mr. Dìaz to make himself known.

It wasn't until they'd lost sight of land that Salvador Dìaz joined them on the deck, followed by the other member of his security. He was dressed in crisp white shorts paired with a short sleeved button down that was open to expose his caramel skin. "It's a hearing aid," the guard confirmed, passing the earpiece over to Dìaz.

Birkhoff waited back in Operations, sitting at his computer screen with his fingers crossed. He'd spent a good half hour making the com device match the specifications of a hearing aid. He'd even gone as far as to add a volume adjustment wheel. All he had to do was remotely set it to amplification mode, and anyone who put it into their ear would be none the wiser. When he caught the line of conversation he relaxed back into his chair. Samson's cover as a fighter had worked well, and Mr. Dìaz had known right away what use the hearing aid was for. Having a profession that called for you to get hit in the face often led to hearing problems, and soon Birkhoff was back in the Agent's ear.

As much as he would have liked to avoid listening to Samson make small talk, he paid attention to the flow of conversation. Without a line directly to Alicia the only way he could make sure she was safe was through their mutual partner. Unfortunately, in order to hide the fact there was a signal broadcasting from the com device; the range on Samson's earpiece wasn't very impressive. Birkhoff could hear the Agent clearly along with the man they were meeting with, but so far he hadn't heard a peep out of Alicia. The black and green box on his screen read that she was okay as her tracker continued to display her as online. Well, the notification said she was _alive_, it didn't say anything about her condition. All he had as assurance was the fact that Samson hadn't used any of the code words to express distress.

Alicia had tried to keep her eyes to the water as the men talked behind her. This wasn't her mission; it was Samson's. All she provided was aid as a cover and a pretty face to keep his status intact. A good looking young man such as himself could get into a great deal of female trouble in a very short time if he didn't have the excuse of a wife. She'd planned on being the silent arm candy, but the feel of eyes on her became overpowering. It would have been rude not to look, and when she did it was to be met with Salvador Dìaz's smile. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure of being introduced to your partner," he spoke to Samson, though his eyes lingered on Alicia.

"Mr. Dìaz this is my wife Camille," Samson informed him, accepting the carrying case from the guard.

"I see I'm not the only man who mixes business with pleasure," Salvador Dìaz said, his Puerto Rican accent adding a smooth undertone to his words.

Taking in the way the man's eyes held Alicia's, Samson adjusted their approach. He couldn't afford to have her underestimated. In order to assure her safety, and ultimately the outcome of the Operation, it would help if he gave her some sort of standing with the man. "She's the one who reminds me of the business," Samson laughed good naturedly.

"Then consider the pleasure all mine," he offered forth his hand and Alicia had to stride forward to take it. When she did he lifted it to his lips, giving a soft kiss as he held her eyes. Only after he released her hand did he look to Samson. "She is beautiful."

Samson set the silver case on the table before them and opened it with a click. "Beautiful, Cunning, Ambitious…" he listed in a smooth voice.

Birkhoff was grimacing as he listened in. "You're selling guns, not her," he reminded in an irritated tone.

Ignoring the man in his ear, Samson continued on. "- but most of all she has impeccable taste," he finished, smiling down at Alicia. He lifted one of the guns from the case, knowing it was her favorite. There had been a reason for letting her choose this morning. "Heckler & Koch MP5K-PDW," he handed the gun over to her with a glitter in her eye.

"My favorite," she confirmed what he already knew.

"A demonstration?" he prompted, lips lifting into a smirk.

Salvador watched with interest as the young woman promptly dismantled the gun, putting it together just as smoothly. "Extended barrel, folding stock," she informed before expertly firing out towards the open ocean without further ado. When she finished she tucked her stray hair back behind her ear, flashing the men a winning smile. "3-slug. Customizable of course."

"That's my girl," Birkhoff breathed, forgetting to turn off his com. The moment he realized what he'd done, he flashed a smug smile knowing that Samson couldn't say a negative word about it. It was fairly quiet in Operations this morning, and so far only he and a handful of other techies were present. A perk of being the Head of the IT department was that no one got in his way. Pushing his hands off of the desk he wheeled his chair back, getting to his feet before sauntering over to the refrigerator. It may have only been nine in the morning, but he still needed the energy drink to get him through the day. He used a finger to push his glasses back up his nose as he strode back to his station. Other than running his usual security checks he had nothing better to do than monitor Alicia and Samson's progress on his screen. From what he could hear coming through the headset they'd moved on to talk about the guns and he was glad they were back on track.

It didn't take long for Salvador Dìaz to come to a business arrangement with the two Division Agents. Only he wasn't thinking about that, no; he was thinking about fresh young blood. Lately there'd been a sad lack of promising youth in the California scene. His visitors were from Vegas and so far they seemed intelligent enough to be worth his time. They had good product at a respectable price and better yet they knew their merchandise. What really had his attention though was the girl.

Camille was young, and he hadn't been playing polite when he'd said she was beautiful. Even as she remained relatively silent, letting her husband Isaac conduct his business, she held an energy about her. The sun and sea air complimented her, and she glowed whenever she looked out towards the water. When business was done he was happy to turn towards pleasure, inviting his guests to a drink. Isaac closed the case and locked it, handing it off to one of the sunglass wearing men, as Salvador led Alicia around to the open bow. There was a small table with four chairs around it lowered slightly into the deck and he stopped just before reaching it. He had a feeling there was something special about Camille Durden and he always trusted his instincts.

Turning to her, his eyes flickered to take her in. The white dress she wore didn't give away much, but it did provide for a good view of her fair skinned, well toned legs. While she was small, maybe five foot four, and slender; he could tell she was in fantastic shape. She handled a gun with the fluidity of someone who knew them, and he was interested to know more about her. "Tell me Camille," her voice rolled off his lips, "does your husband always bring you on his business trips?"

Her green eyes met his as he took one of the chairs at the table and held it out for her. "His business is my business," a hint of a smile played across Camille's lips as she took the seat he offered for her.

"All work and no play?" Salvador grinned as he gently pushed in her seat.

"Well one of us has to be," she smiled, eyes following him as he took the seat on her right, "men are too often distracted by pretty things."

Salvador could sense there was more to her, and he wasted no time in agreeing. "Consider me distracted," he responded in a smooth tone, holding her gaze until the second Isaac Durden stepped up.

Samson took his seat across from Mr. Dìaz, meeting the man's eyes. "That was Danny Boy, I've got another fight lined up for Friday," he informed them, having supposedly just gotten off the phone. It had been left to his discretion to choose the time period, and after seeing Salvador's response to Alicia he'd made up his mind. A week would grant enough time to build the necessary trust to keep Salvador Dìaz as a clueless asset, and to track the source who was about to pay for this particular shipment. While it was his mission, Alicia was his partner and he was going to put her to use.

"Well that works with our schedule," Alicia commented, tucking a few stray hairs behind her ear. She had the majority of her hair in a low pony tail, swept over her right shoulder, but the wind had coaxed a few wisps free. "Product delivery will be in a week," she commented, looking down at her cellphone. With a flick of her finger she brought up the calendar and marked down how many units the order had consisted of.

"Ricardo said you did well at last night's fight," Salvador commented, "I had him stick around after passing on the message." He leaned back in his chair, crossing his foot casually over his knee. He looked right at home on a yacht in the California sun, his camel skin glowing in the sun. Drinks were handed forth and he accepted a glass, lifting the wine to his lips. "I'd like to go to your next match," he commented easily.

Samson knew an opportunity when he saw one. "I'm sure Camille would love your company, she's never missed a fight," he slipped his hand onto her bared knee, lifting his glass with his free hand.

"I know his stats better than he does," she agreed, enjoying a taste of the crisp white wine they'd been served. A tray of finger food was placed before them, and Alicia was thankful she'd eaten that morning to curb her appetite. "Which is saying something since he starts fresh every new circuit he runs," Alicia added, not straying far from the truth. There had been a lot of homework into cover stories involved with prepping for this Op, and she'd spent a good part of three days going over her husband's details.

"Is that where the two of you met?" Salvador asked, seeing an opportunity of his own.

"Oh no, we met before that; through work," she flashed her husband a smile.

Isaac returned it, nodding. "I had to babysit her," he chuckled, "a harder job than I had anticipated."

Saving his questions for later he let the conversation unfold, watching Camille's lips touch the rim of her glass as she took another drink. "I would hardly count watching over her as work," Salvador commented smoothly. He leaned forward to snatch a triangle of crabmeat sandwich from the platter to take a bite of it.

"Camille had just turned eighteen when I first met her. Even then she wasn't to be taken lightly," the young man smirked while looking towards his wife. "She was the instigator of my first car chase," he informed with a small shake of his head. The man's casual bragging only heightened his interest in the young woman who sipped her wine.

Back in Operations Birkhoff was listening even as he broke through a firewall for one of his other projects. He heard the casual back and forth of chatter between the three. From all of the Ops he'd overseen and played Lead Tech on he knew how people worked. The target had his eyes on Alicia and it didn't take a genius to see that he was leading the conversations. Little by little he got details out of the two Agents about her, or at least about her cover. Birkhoff hated to admit it but Samson was doing as good of a job as Alicia at giving nondescript leading answers of their own. Any information too easily given wasn't worth it; that was the rules of the world.

It bothered him not to be able to see what was going on. He was surprised that they had held such a fluid conversation for so long, and when his navy eyes turned to their trackers he was pleased to see they were almost back to shore. They'd kept everything fairly lighthearted and Birkhoff knew once again the pair was working their mind voodoo. Agents were scary like that, at least the ones who played covers when on the field. Like flipping a switch they became other people. Alicia did it so easily that it was almost fascinating to watch. She shared his enthusiasm for being a part of an underground Black Ops group and they viewed every Operation as a game. Birkhoff didn't exactly enjoy her seducing other men, or their mutual partner Samson, but he'd learnt to handle it. Alicia was well worth it and better yet she was his.

Right now it happened to be Salvador Dìaz who was currently inquiring about his girl, and under the impression she was Samson's. "There must be some story behind how a young woman like you falls into business with the likes of us?" Dìaz urged, knowing the meeting was coming to a close. As entertaining as this had been he had plans for the day.

"Oh I was born into it," she responded with a sly little smile, "it's in my blood."

"The boss's niece," Isaac confirmed, "it took me years to get a date."

When Camille's emerald eyes glistened they were paired with a mischievous smile. "Making you chase me was the highlight of my day," she quipped back. While it wasn't directed at him, Salvador's interest was at an all time high.

"You're part of the Vicenn organization?" he questioned, curious to know more.

Samson had been saving this tidbit of information for last. They needed a standing in the man's eyes, and Alicia's cover provided that. Division had killed both of the Vicenn brothers along with Camille killed in an attack years back. Martin Vicenn had been replaced with a Division double who now ran the Vegas branch after his brother's untimely death in a car crash. As far as records Alicia was set in her cover. "She's Mr. Vicenn's niece," Samson confirmed with a little nod of his head.

Salvador set down his glass as they pulled in closer to the dock. His gut had told him there was something special about the young woman and once again he'd been right. "My condolences on your father," he turned his attention fully to Camille, "the accident was tragic."

"It was," she returned with a small nod, her eyes flashing out towards the ocean for a moment.

"How many years has it been, seven?"

"Eight, nine this May," Alicia returned, not hiding the little surprise at his astuteness from playing over her features. After all, he was technically questioning her on her father's death.

He gave a small nod, interrupted momentarily by his guards coming up to inform him they'd docked. Mr. Dìaz dismissed them with a brisk nod, turning his bright honey eyes on Camille's. "That was the last day you were public," he commented, "at the funeral. You've done a remarkable job of laying low."

"I didn't know the Vicenn name would be so famous out here," she replied, giving him a suspicious look, "or that you'd be so well versed in my family history."

Salvador smiled, leaning forward a little as he held her eyes in his. "I didn't get so far in three years on sheer luck. When I work with someone I look into them, and there's limited information about your family floating around. If something has my interest I dig deeper."

"Then I should be flattered you've asked so many questions?" she returned, not backing down. Samson had remained quiet, a small smile on his face as he watched his _wife_ handle herself.

"I'm very thorough," he responded before getting to his feet with a devilish smile. Only Camille caught it, for Isaac was distracted with the two guards who had once more approached. Or at least so he believed. The two Division Agents were much more perceptive than they let on. "Allow me to ask one more?" Salvador asked smoothly as the pair got to their feet. It was clear their little boat ride was over.

She flashed a look to Samson before nodding. "What did you have in mind?" Camille questioned, slipping up to her husband's side. It was a little surprising how much safer she felt when Samson's arm slipped around her waist. In case things went south he had her ceramic blade latched against his spine. For some reason pat downs never seemed to pay much attention to that area, and having a broader back than Alicia he'd managed to sneak it by.

"Where are the two of you staying?"

"The Hilton," Samson replied for them, following the men off of the boat. He swiftly lifted Alicia up before following after her.

Salvador had a week to learn more about the mystery of Camille Durden, and it was the first time a woman had interested him in a while. She was young and full of repressed life. Growing up in a crime oriented family wasn't easy, he knew that firsthand. As an attractive female in the city the bodyguard comment from earlier painted the beginning of the picture in his mind. "You'll stay in one of my guest rooms," a plan had already formed as the words left his lips, "I insist. It's the least I could do after having you fly all the way out here."

Birkhoff grimaced as Samson accepted the offer and plans were arranged. Staying at the house would mean more cameras, but that would be as much a curse as a blessing. It meant the pair would have to remain in character whenever they were on camera because he couldn't scrub their images like he usually would. He wanted to see Alicia, and if it came at the price of it being under the guise of Samson's wife well then he'd just put up with it. He'd had to watch the two interact since they day he'd first paid attention to her, so it was nothing new to him. Still, he was in a grumpy mood all day. This particular Op was getting on his nerves.

The first time he got to talk to Alicia was after she'd finished her scan on the room and slipped into the bathroom. "Hey Samson's joining us in a moment," she informed him, setting up her laptop. She'd connected over Division's servers, and from the open robe he'd guessed she'd used it to smuggle the laptop unnoticed. "There's a camera in the fire alarm, which is in the center of the main living area, bedroom included the perve. No bugs though; that's good," she'd barely finished talking when Samson stepped into view behind her, closing the bathroom door behind him.

"Can you get into the video feed?" he asked, not bothering to look towards the computer. Instead he strode to the large shower, opening the glass door to turn on the water. The multiple heads sprang to life and he turned his back on them, peeling off his shirt as he returned to where Alicia stood near the counter.

Birkhoff grimaced at the screen, watching as she unstrapped a knife from Samson's back. "It's proprietary software-"

"English," he cut him off, popping the headset out of his ear as he turned to face the monitor.

"It means he can't hack in," Alicia informed him, setting the knife holster beside the laptop. She'd had to leave the one Birkhoff had given her at home, and instead was using a much less impressive Division issued one. "Which you'd know if you'd paid any attention in class," she added pointedly.

He smiled a little at her attitude. "Right. So one of you scrubs will have to get me into the hard feeds," Birkhoff filled them in, "the sooner the better."

"Any bright ideas on how to do that?" Samson asked, setting a hand on Alicia's shoulder so he could take off his pants. He'd had the annoying man in his ear all day and he was tired of his voice. Punishing him was entertaining, and he had a feeling his sculpted body in such close to proximity would drive him crazy. "Or is it up to us to scope out how to approach the security room unseen?" he pushed, pointing out the obvious.

"A man like Dìaz would have it on his personal computer too," she pitched in, eyes focused on Birkhoff's image on her screen.

It wasn't difficult for him to ignore Samson in the background and turn his eyes on Alicia. She was in a white bathrobe, the tie undone and front open to reveal lingerie beneath it. "Get two minutes with his computer and I'll own the eyes in the house," he confirmed, his own eyes sweeping over her body.

"We'll find a way," she confirmed with a small nod. No reason to prolong the conversation they exited from the chat.

The moment the screen was clear Samson was reaching around her to access the laptop. "You can take the first shower," he offered, "I'll write up today's report." He lifted himself onto the counter, getting comfortable with the laptop in his lap wearing nothing but underarmor boxers. She didn't bother questioning him, he had Lead after all, and discreetly slipped into the shower, closing the tampered glass door behind her. It wasn't that Samson was focused on the report he was writing up that he didn't pull any moves on her; he had better plans. When she stepped from the shower he didn't look anywhere other than her eyes as he handed her a towel. He was also wearing nothing other than his smirk, and had stepped around her and into the running water.

When he finished she had the nightie she'd carried into the bathroom with her on her body and was waiting near the bathroom door. "Looks like we're married everywhere except in here," Samson commented smugly, walking around her and out into the bedroom. He only wore a towel wrapped around his waist, and she wasn't entirely surprised when he slung it over the chair and slipped into a pair of silk boxers mid-room.

Reminding herself that she was on a mission and had to perform to the best of her abilities she slipped out of the bathroom in the white mesh nightie. Having a camera in the mood really dampened her mood, but it was clear from Samson he was enjoying himself. He'd slipped under the covers, lying on his back with a satisfied smirk on his face as he appreciated Alicia from afar. She realized her mistake in allowing him to get into bed first; now she had to be the one to cuddle up next to him. They were supposed to be a happy married couple after all.

Sucking up her feelings she fell into her role, shutting off the light before climbing into the bed. She sidled up next to him, resting her head on his shoulder as she molded to his side. Samson's bare skin was hot against hers and she was silently thankful he'd worn boxers. It was already uncomfortable enough and she waited for his hands to stray. If he made a move she wouldn't be able to fight it; not without breaking their cover. The only move he made was to lower his hand into her hair, and she hated to admit it was unusually comfortable tucked up against him. It reminded her of Birkhoff, and she fell asleep thinking _this is going to be a long seven days._


	16. Mrs Durden

_Hello folks, SpikedTea here (aka JadedRein) again! I just wanted to stop in and say I hope you're enjoying my story so far! If it has your attention then you may be happy to know there's more to do with Lesson One! Whether you're in the mood for some videos (Music video, Opening credits OR even an awesome trailer!) then check out "JadedRein" on youtube! Or, if you'd like the in on new chapters as well as bonus pictures to go along with every chapter add my writers account on facebook, again it's "Jaded Rein" _

_Until then keep on keeping on and enjoy the latest chapter of Lesson One! Reviews MUCH appreciated! (And to those of you who have been reviewing and favoriting thank you very much! Nothing says motivation like feedback!)_

* * *

It was odd seeing Samson in acid wash denim and a Tap Out graphic tee, but Alicia had to admit it looked good on him; _normal_ almost. She couldn't picture what he looked like before Division, but unlike him she wasn't about to pry into the past. Samson wasn't an overall pain in her arse, and she couldn't help but feel a little bad about how irritated he made her sometimes. He didn't know that she was in a relationship and that every time he kissed her Birkhoff wanted to whip his energy drink clear across the room. After all, the relationship _was_ forbidden.

No, he had grown alongside the Alicia rest of Division had come to know. She loved playing games, harmless ones albeit, and could never resist a challenge. Were she honest with herself, Samson probably would have been her only friend. They were similar in a number of ways and the fluidity they had as partners was second to none. Everything around him was like a well choreographed dance and yet it was steps she'd been dancing all along. The moves came easily, and when he kissed her goodbye and she flashed him a heartwarming smile it looked by all means real. Beneath it all she could still see the truth in his hazel eyes.

_He's enjoying this_, she realized, watching him disappear into the sleek car. Their target Salvador Dìaz was interested in Alicia or rather her cover, Camille Durden, and she had two courses of action to decide between. She could encourage the man's advances, flirting with danger like a young woman with her cover might. Her other option was to entertain his flirtatious attitude but make it clear she had eyes for only one man; her husband. Playing the happy couple with Samson was already taxing enough, and once they'd discovered the camera in their room it had only made things worse. Now she had to factor in Mr. Dìaz as well.

Technically, since Samson was Point, he should have had the final say in what approach to use. Instead he left it up to Alicia to decide for herself. It was hard enough to figure out what she was supposed to do now that he was gone. He'd taken the car and left her alone in Salvador's large estate with nothing to do. _May as well find his office,_ she decided, turning to scan for guards. The one who had followed them from the room still waited by the banister, and as she approached him her eyes danced over the large foyer. She took in the cameras from the corner of her eye, ignoring the guard who followed a few steps behind her as she made her way back to her room.

Birkhoff was ready to answer her call the second it came through. "You've reached the KFC counseling line," he greeted her as playfully as ever, "please state which menu item you're suffering attachment issues with and I'll patch you through to one of our trained specialists."

"Well," Alicia responded, shifting the phone to the other ear as she unzipped the laptop case, "it's more the lack of chicken that's bothering me. Dìaz's men all seem capable so far. They keep tight watches and as far as I can tell from their body language haven't been distracted by my cover. It'll be fun getting into his office."

"This whole no tech thing is not cool," Birkhoff agreed.

She used her shoulder to hold the cellphone to her ear as she gathered up the supplies she'd drawn out in her arms. It was a good thing there was no audio bug in the room, but she made sure to let the waves of her hair to hide her face as she talked softly. "I'm working on it," Alicia sighed as she strode across the room, moving to the island counter. "Samson left for the gym ten minutes ago," she informed him as she set up a workplace, "he'll be out until five which should give me enough time."

"Have a plan?" he questioned, curious to know how she planned on accomplishing the task.

"I will with your help," Alicia responded smoothly back, smiling softly. It had never occurred to her how much she loved his voice until this mission.

Birkhoff leaned forward in his seat, cracking open a new energy drink as he slipped a hand onto the mouse. "What can I do you for beautiful?" he asked, glad to be of use. When it came to Alicia he was always more than happy to exercise his skills.

"See if you can find a floor plan," she requested, "or anything that will give me the lay of the land."

His navy eyes flickered around Operations before he slipped a headset on and switched over the com link. While they _were_ on a Division line he didn't want any unnecessary ears tuning in. Call him selfish, but he liked having her all to himself even if it was only an illusion. "They had someone working on that last night but they came up with nada. Let's see if old Shadow Walker can't do better," he focused on the screen, getting right on it.

She could hear the sound of his fingers on the keys over the cellphone, and once more a small smile crept onto her face. "If anyone can it's him," Alicia shot back in a smooth tone. Her own laptop was now setup in front of her, the screen facing away from the eye in the sky. With one hand she idly pulled up some screens, the other adjusting the papers she'd carried over on the counter. As soon as she was finished she pulled over one of the barstools and positioned herself behind the computer.

"This stooge sure has a large chunk of land," Birkhoff commented as he dug deeper.

"And cameras on every inch," she added, switching the phone to her other ear. With her free hand she shifted a paper closer, her eyes scanning over the information. Their cover as arms dealers required her to be even more knowledgeable in weapons than she had been. Alicia loved feeling the accomplishment of learning something new, and was happy to do more research as she waited on Birkhoff to do his thing.

"Tell me about it, he's got an eye in your room," he scoffed.

"Which after this morning," Alicia replied, "we know is monitored. Samson and I had barely opened the door and a guard was already falling into step."

"Not that you aren't photogenic, but what are you going to do about the cameras?" Birkhoff questioned. As eager as he was to get access to the feed he didn't like the idea of sending her in blind. Once she left the room he'd no longer be able to assist her. With Samson gone she was flying solo, and for the first time he wished the cocky young Agent was there.

She shrugged, running a hand through her hair. "I haven't gotten that far yet. Once I get a feel on guard rotation I'll come up with something."

Birkhoff was glad that he was at least able to offer a little support. "Incoming file," he informed her with a smirk.

When she was greeted with the sight of blueprints Alicia was more than impressed. "Where'd you find these?" she asked, eyes dancing over the monitor.

"Your man Salvador had some pretty extravagant taste," he mused, "so it wasn't too hard. I tracked down the private architect firm he used to build his little fortress and it was a cakewalk from there."

"For you maybe," she muttered, knowing he was being modest. It figured that the one person who was truly interested in his work was the only one he didn't feel the need to brag around. Well, not as often anyways. Birkhoff was still Birkhoff, and she wouldn't have it any other way. "These are _perfect_," Alicia purred with a smile.

"Gold star?" he teased, referring to Michael's attachment to the phrase. Seymour had a feeling it was a term that Alicia had heard almost as often as he overheard. Despite being one of the head trainers for a covert Black Ops group, the man had a soft spot for his recruits. It also so happened Michael was currently looming over his shoulder. "Mikey-" he was cut off by the man reaching forward. Birkhoff scooted back in his chair on impulse at Michael's tight lipped expression.

"Oh I think we can do better than a gold star," Alicia's light chuckle came through the computer's speakers with the push of a button.

Birkhoff's eyes darted over to Michael's face as he waited for his reaction. While it was no secret that Alicia and him were flirtatious it was a little awkward to be caught in the act; especially when it was by one of the few people who outranked him. "Is there a problem with my gold star system?" Michael asked, his tone not giving anything away. He was the closest thing to a friend that Birkhoff had yet still managed to intimidate and boss him around on a daily basis.

"Michael?"

"Alicia," he responded tersely, and only the smirking twitch of his lips gave away his amusement at the situation.

She could hear it in his voice however, and was tempted to roll her eyes. "It might be more effective if you handed out stickers," Alicia replied easily. It never ceased to amaze her how everyone tried so hard to be something they weren't. Michael, in all his broodiness, was a man who was made to smile and smirk. In the time she'd spent with him Alicia had gotten a good read on who he was. While he played the dark and dangerous role flawlessly, she knew that he was a soft touch at heart.

"When you earn a sticker you'll get a sticker," he responded, his gravely tone lightened by his smile. Birkhoff relaxed in his seat with a little grimace. It seemed like he wasn't even going to get some make believe time to talk to her.

"Well I'm about to-" she paused as a knock sounded on the door to her room. "Just a second, someone's at the door," Alicia informed the men on the other end of her phone call. With a swift click she closed the Division server and rose to her feet. A few strides of her legs and she crossed over to the door, pulling it open to be greeted with Salvador Dìaz, a guard shadowing him. "Mr. Diaz," she greeted him, holding the cellphone against her chest.

"_Salvador_," he corrected her with a smooth smile. "Is this a bad time?" Mr. Diaz asked, his eyes flickering to the phone.

Alicia shook her head, falling into her role as Camille without missing a beat. "Not at all, I'm just finishing up some business," she informed him, opening the door the rest of the way as she took a step back.

He wasted no time in striding past her and into the room, but not before giving the guard a look telling him not to follow. Salvador's eyes flickered over the large studio-style guestroom he'd set Camille and her husband up in. "Don't let me interrupt," he said the moment his eyes met with hers.

Opting to leave the door open she returned to the laptop, feeling the man's eyes on her the entire way. "Where was I?" she asked, returning the phone to her ear. "Oh that's right the Kel-Tec PLR-16," thankfully, due to her love of research, it was easy to ramble off a good gun to use as a topic.

"How are we doing on getting access to the cameras?" Michael asked, knowing they didn't have much time. The thought of one of his Agents going in blind was unsettling.

"It's not one of my usual stock but I'm confident I can track a few down," she responded, knowing that he'd be able to pick up on the underlying message. Salvador had made himself comfortable in the recliner and was relaxing back as he casually watched her.

Birkhoff met Michael's eye, motioning towards the monitor. "She's got the blueprints so she has the where," he filled him in, saying what Alicia wouldn't be able to encode in her gun jargon, "but she's still working on the how."

Michael nodded, not bothering to look towards the monitor. "Are you going to wait for Samson?" he asked her, not liking the odds. One man infiltration wasn't a walk in the park, especially when there were armed guards and an eye in the sky Division had no control over.

"While it's legally a pistol," she confirmed with a sly smile, "I shouldn't need to remind you it _is_ still a semi-automatic compact carbine. It'll get the job done."

Salvador watched as she finished her conversation, closing the phone and setting it aside after a few more words. When Camille was finished she perched on the barstool, turning to meet his gaze. "Another satisfied customer?" he asked lightly, bright honey eyes hiding the unmistakable sheen of a predator before a kill.

"The only kind I have," she responded easily, tucking a few strands of her hair back behind her ear. Alicia's, or rather _Camille's_, emerald eyes took in her unexpected company.

Salvador Dìaz was settled into the cream colored leather recliner, looking quite at home as he smiled at her from across the room. "Does the room suit you?" he asked, his Puerto Rican accent giving his speech a smooth quality.

"It's wonderful," Camille approved with a gentle smile. Like some sort of exotic velvet Alicia knew that if rubbed the wrong way the smooth tone could just as easily be rough. She also knew the sparkle in his eye and all that could entail.

"Your husband is out?" he asked, already knowing the answer to the question.

Nevertheless she nodded. "Isaac has a day full of training ahead of him," she informed with a lighthearted smile,

"And he leaves you all alone?"

"I knew about his MMA career before I married him; long hours at the gym comes with the territory," Camille responded easily. When she talked about her husband her expression softened and she gave a slight shrug. "Besides, he knows I can manage on my own," she smiled slyly; like a woman with a secret.

The young woman had Salvador's interest; that was for certain. He rose to his feet, approaching her at a casual pace. "Is this what you do to pass the time?" Salvador asked, his eyes flickering to open laptop behind her.

"It is," she confirmed, following his line of sight. On the screen was data, the same went for the papers that she had laid out, and it was all on firearms.

He lifted one of the sheets from the counter, taking in the small graceful notes taken in pen in the margins. "This has the distinct look of work," Mr. Dìaz observed, looking over to her.

Camille closed her pointer finger and thumb on the paper, meeting his eyes as she plucked it from his hold. "That would be because it is," was her response as she returned the paper to the counter. With a sweep of her hands she had the sheets in a pile, and was tapping the edge against the counter top to straighten the pages.

"Have you ever heard the saying _All work and no play_…" Salvador asked with a slight tilt of his head and a sweep of his eyes.

"I've always preferred _Ain't no rest for the wicked,_" she shot back, a playful smile on her lips.

The young woman's green eyes showed her strength despite her youth, and Salvador savored it. It was rare for a woman to have enough of a presence to hold his interest for long, but the gem in front of him was showing more potential with every passing second. Camille Durden was young and beautiful, yes, but there was more to her than just something to look at. She'd been born into power and knew the way of the world. In what she lacked in years she made up for in experience. From the manner in which she'd handled the gun on the boat he had known she was not just some spoiled princess. "You're in California;" his smirk came naturally, "no one expects you to rest. _But _that doesn't mean you can't enjoy yourself."

For a second she held his gaze before realizing how close he'd gotten. Alicia was inwardly surprised that she hadn't noticed earlier and took a small step back, replacing the stack of papers to the counter. "Well thank you for that advice," she responded, keeping her body language confident, "I'll keep it in mind. Was there something you needed?"

"Straight back to business," he mused. Salvador knew that despite being born into a crime family she was still a lively Vegas girl at heart. "I've got something to attend to," he informed her, tucking his hands into the tan slacks he wore, "that will take up my morning. If you're in need of anything ask Micah; he'll be right outside of your door. I assume your husband took your car?" Camille nodded and he returned it with an easy smile. "Should you get tired of work," he motioned to her laptop, "he can arrange a car for you to go into town."

"Such a gracious host," Camille's eyes sparkled with hidden mischief.

"When my guests allow me to be," Salvador responded with a sly smile. With a small nod he turned and strode from the room, pulling the door closed with one last look to Alicia.

Wasting no time she turned back to her laptop, restoring the Division windows that she needed. Having a guard standing watch outside her door made it impossible to do any scouting. If the first thing she did was wander around the place it was sure to raise a few red flags. Just as she thought she was about to go crazy from going over every possible way to approach the situation, another rap sounded at her door. This time she shut down the laptop before getting to her feet. It was evident that she wasn't about to get a chance to access the video feeds under the current circumstances.

When she opened the door it was to be met with a smiling blonde man dressed in all white. "I was sent compliments of Mr. Dìaz," the man informed her.

Her eyes flickered to the masseuse table as she quickly assessed the situation. "Oh, well," she glanced over her shoulder towards the counter before turning her attention back to the man, "come in." Alicia stepped aside, allowing him access to the room. _May as well_, she decided to take advantage of the offer of a massage. It wasn't as though she were about to have a breakthrough with the planning. Besides, Amanda had always taught her it was rude to refuse a gift. "You can set up wherever is convenient," she called out, catching site of the guard stationed outside her door as she pulled it closed.

The man pushed the table to a stop in front of the large bay windows, turning to her with a smile. "If you would," he offered forth a basket. She accepted it, looking down at the fluffy white material inside. "Mr. Dìaz suggested the hot stone massage," the masseuse informed her as he lifted the face of the massage bed. It came away from the table to reveal the cart consisted of two large chambers filled with what appeared to be some sort of steaming liquid. With one hand he extended four metal table legs from the underside of the bed and Alicia turned just as he began to set it up.

She slipped into the bathroom, looking in the mirror as she stripped of her clothes. In all her life she'd never had an official massage, and she was glad the decision hadn't been left up to her. If the man had asked what she wanted then Alicia would have drawn a blank. _Hot stone massage_, she mulled over the idea, liking the sound of it. With a little tuck she secured the soft heated towel around her body, fastening her hair into a pony tail the moment she finished.

It felt surreal to be so submerged as her character and yet comfortable at the same time. Alicia loved playing make believe, and her current role had her on cloud nine. With Samson busy with his own cover she enjoyed the silver spoon treatment. By the time her massage was finished she felt invigorated and alive, deciding to take a new approach on the camera situation. Once more dressed, she pulled open the door to the guard outside. "You're Micah I take it?" she greeted him with a sweep of her eyes. Like all of the other members of Salvador's security he was dressed in a black tee shirt and slacks, dark tint sunglasses hiding his eyes.

The man nodded. "Mr. Dìaz is still in a meeting," he informed her, "but he's invited you to join him poolside ate one for lunch."

_Well there goes asking him for a tour,_ she sighed inwardly. Amanda had provided her with clothing for the underground fights and enough outfits for her stay in California, but Alicia didn't think it consisted of any pool wear. With plan A down the drain she decided to go to plan B. "Can you arrange for a car? I'm in the mind for some shopping."

Once more he nodded. "Would you like it now?" he questioned. When she answered with her own nod he raised his hand to his ear, reaching past his shaggy black hair to press a button on his earpiece. He requested a car out front in fluent Spanish before clicking it off once more. "Right this way Mrs. Durden," he confirmed easily. With a purse slung over her shoulder she fell into step behind him and before she knew it she was standing in the warm California sun. A few minutes more and Alicia was situated in the back of a sleek silver vehicle watching the buildings go by.

She didn't know the city and so chose a grouping of stores at random, pointing it out to the guard who had fallen into silence. It was no surprise when he door was opened and she climbed from the car that he lingered at her side. "You're going to follow me," she asked, cocking a brow, "aren't you?"

"I have my orders," the guard gave a small nod, being nondescript in his answer.

Alicia had to remind herself that she was Camille, and so her hand darted to her hip as she let his eyes scan over him. "By that you mean I've got a new shadow," she scoffed with a roll of her eyes. The man stood slightly stiff, in visibly good shape as the black tee shirt he donned clung to his toned body. From her time in Division she knew a trained man when she saw one, and yet using him as security was the last thing on her mind. "Not only is he old enough to be my father," Alicia sighed, turning from him, "now he's acting like one."

As aloof as she acted, striding onto the street with him in tow, everything was going as planned. Dìaz had been truthful when he said he was a thorough man. Not only had she expected a security detail, but she had been rather counting on it. The fact it was only one man made the entire thing easier and when her eyes fell on a clothing shop she wasted no time in slipping in. The guard, Micah, waited at a slight distance as she flicked through the clothing on the racks. While he wore dark shades she knew his eyes were on her and their surroundings; not paying attention to the merchandise she was looking at.

After sliding her credit card she turned on the man, handing forward what she'd just purchased. "Put these on," Alicia instructed the man as he looked down at the shirts he'd accepted on auto pilot.

Even with the dark shades hiding his eyes she could sense his surprise as he opened his mouth to ask, "Mrs. Durden?"

"I'm not about to spend the rest of my day shopping with a dark figure looming behind me," she explained as she tilted her head slightly, an amused expression playing across her beautiful face.

Micah stared at his ward for a moment, drawing a blank on what he was supposed to do. When Mr. Dìaz had tasked him with personally attending to the young woman it had come with a warning. Mrs. Durden may be young and attractive but she was not someone to be taken lightly. Still, he wasn't sure what to do in his current position. "I don't think it's appropriate," he answered slowly, unsure of how else to respond.

"What wouldn't be _appropriate,_" she responded with mischief glittering in her eyes, "is if you lost me. Now I've had years of practice at slipping away from men like you and haven't had a good game of hide and seek in a while."

Behind his sunglasses he blinked, at a loss. From what he'd learned about her in briefing he had no doubt in the sincerity of her words. "If you'll cooperate-"

"I will," she cut him short, "if you'll change. I'd rather look like someone's accompanying me than _stalking_ me."

The smile she wore shook him up, and he gave a brisk nod seeing no other choice. If he lost her then he'd be in for more than just a slap on the wrist. "Of course Mrs. Durden," Micah gave in. He wasted no time in stripping of the black tee-shirt and replacing it with what she'd purchased.

Micah had no time to look at what he'd just put on before the young woman was surprising him once more. "Lose the shades," without warning she reached towards his face and he moved on instinct to block her. She'd anticipated as much, and smoothly avoided his hand as she plucked the sunglasses from his face. "They scream security," she flashed him a smile, meeting his ruffled expression. He watched as she slipped them onto her head, adjusting the pair of shades neatly in her hair with an easy grace.

Before he could react she had her back to him and was striding away. For a moment his eyes followed her, mind still reeling, before following after her. The moment he reached her she slowed her pace to fall into step beside him, flashing a disarming his smile his way. _He's cute_, she thought smugly as her eyes flickered over the man's face. Micah was young, maybe in his mid twenties, and despite his hard appearance there was a promise of warmth in his eyes. Now that she'd been able to see into his deep brown eyes she knew Plan B was officially a go.

On the opposite side of town Samson had been busy crashing his hand into a mouth while Alicia was working on getting one to smile. Drawing his fist back he grinned ruefully down at the man on the mat before him. "You may want to work on your blocking," he commented smugly. Even going easy on the man it had been a walk in the park to take down the latest sparring partner.

"Mr. Durden," a low voice rumbled off his cover name from behind him.

Samson turned to face the man, snagging a water bottle from the bench as he went. "What is it?" he asked, voice laced with impatience.

"You have a visitor," the man informed him.

The words had barely left his lips before Samson's gaze shifted past the man to the entrance of the training gym. "That's no visitor," his lips rose into a smirk, "that's my wife." Their eyes met from across the room, and he opted to ignore the man who stood a step behind her. Instead he tilted the water bottle to his lips, squeezing a flow of the cold water into his thirsting mouth, as he waved her in. His eyes danced over her, watching her every move as the man who stood in her way stepped aside to let her pass. The sway of her hips had his attention as well as a few of the other men in the gym who couldn't peel their eyes from her. Alicia's green eyes sparkled, her auburn hair framing her face in waves as she greeted him with a smile.

When she reached him he wasted no time in marking his territory, slipping one of his arms around her waist as he pulled her pelvis against his. There was a wolfish smile on his face as he looked down at her, enjoying the lingering eyes on them. "I don't think so," her hands landed on his chest, keeping space between their torsos as she leaned back a little to look up at him, "you're covered in sweat."

"That's never bothered you before," he shot back, eyes twinkling in amusement. Samson moved, his free hand slipping under the waves of her hair. His fingers laced into the hair against the back of her neck, his thumb coming to rest on her temple.

Alicia lifted slightly onto her toes, closing the space between their chests to a mere inch. She knew her partner well enough to know when he was pushing the ball into her court. When her lips touched his she placed a kiss there, one of her hands shifting. It slid up the burning skin of his pec to rest on his shoulder to provide support as she moved to ease herself from her toes. Samson was faster however, and his arm constricted around her, pulling her body flush against his.

While she returned his kiss it was just as uncomfortable as the eyes that were glued to them. She knew at least one set belonged to Micah, and having one of Dìaz's men as a bystander required her to play her part. By all means it was her husband's tongue currently slipping into her mouth, his muscular arms keeping her contained to the lip lock. Kissing Samson was an act that confused her, and it wasn't a feeling she liked. His lips were warm against hers and were as skilled as the tongue that explored her mouth. If it hadn't been for Birkhoff, and her opinion on their mutual partner, then it may have even been enjoyable. He was good at what he did, and the massaging of his thumb on her temple seemed almost unfair. Alicia would rather be kicking him than kissing him, and yet she had to confess that as opposed to the men she seduced on missions this particular one knew the female body.

When he'd gotten his fill he pulled his mouth back from hers, making no attempt to hide his enjoyment at what he considered perks of their current assignment. As much as he loved the feel of her compliant in his arms he didn't let it cloud his mind. "Who's the John Doe?" he asked, hazel eyes flickering to look past her to the man who now stood a few feet away. It wasn't a face he recognized.

"That would be my babysitter," she responded, knowing full well the Micah was within earshot. While the gym was still in action around them, it was hardly loud enough to cover a conversation.

"He doesn't look like one of D's men," Samson commented, eyes flickering over the man. He was dressed in the customary black pants of the security Team and he was clearly in shape, but that was where the resemblance to a guard ended. His black hair was tousled and he wore a tight grey shirt with an open collar, the four buttons undone to show a slice of his broad chest. Micah was handsome, his caramel touched skin contrasting with the deep brown of his eyes. His mouth was closed, expression unreadable, but the direction of his eyes was unmistakable; Alicia.

She would have eased out of her partner's arms if it wasn't for the fact she could still feel the tension of his muscles. "I played dress up," Camille answered easily.

"Before or after you tried to slip his watchful eye?" Samson asked, gaze remaining steady on Micah. If anyone was going to be protecting Alicia it would be him, not some useless hired muscle. Samson knew _he_ was the only one who could face any danger that was too much for her to handle. Compared to the trained Division Agent, Mr. Dìaz's guard would be worth nothing more than a human shield.

"Actually, it was in exchange for not trying," she shot back with a sly smile. "Why Isaac," she picked up easily on her husband's body language, "are you _jealous_?"

Samson chuckled darkly, returning his eyes to hers. "Do I have a reason to be?"

"Well, it _would_ appear I have a taste for bodyguards," Camille teased, batting her thick lashes playfully.

Micah watched their back and forth, aware of the fact that a few others were doing the same. While he had agreed to bring her to see her husband, he still didn't like the current setting. There was too much testosterone in the air, and the focus of half of that energy was directed towards the very woman he was supposed to be protecting. It unsettled him, especially because he _liked_ Camille. Watching her had turned out not to be so much of a task as a mini vacation. The young woman was full of life and smiles, and while she was mischievous and he had to keep a watchful eye on her at all times, she had treated him as more than hired help. He was determined not to mess up his ward in hopes of being assigned to her for the rest of her stay, and so when Isaac Durden lifted his wife from the floor, Micah's hand itched for his gun.

Camille's legs were wrapped around his waist, one of his hands splayed out over her ass as between them her weight was easily supported. A few catcalls rang out from the men who'd seen him sweep her up into his hold, but his smirk was directed down at his wife even as he strode forwards. Micah followed the short distance to the door, coming to a sudden stop when Mr. Durden pushed open the dark wooden door with one hand, turning to look at the guard with a dark glint to his eyes. "Just what do you think you're doing?" the man demanded.

"I'm supposed to watch o-"

"The only thing you're watching," Samson cut him off, "is the door." With those words he carried her into the room, eyes back on his wife as he set her on the counter, pushing aside the rolls of gauze with a sweep of his arm to clear room for her.

Micah watched for a moment, hiding his scowl as Isaac fit between her legs, hands slipping onto her knees to pull her pelvis closer. He'd seen enough, and reached forward, pulling the door to the room closed. In the sweep of his eyes he'd deduced the small medical room to be otherwise unoccupied and safe enough to leave the couple in. Mr. Dìaz had given him strict instructions to keep an eye on Camille for her husband, however he felt under the current circumstances leaving the pair alone was the safest move on his part. Isaac Durden wasn't someone he could afford to upset either.

A few moments after the door closed Samson broke his lips away from Alicia's, smirking at her before him. "So, what do you have for me?" he asked, hazel eyes shining. The best part about being Point was having her in the submissive role. Something about knowing Alicia had to rely on him for this Op left him with a satisfied feeling, especially with Birkhoff out of the picture. It also gave him all the means necessary to dig on what she wanted from the man.

"I've got the guard's frequencies covered," she informed him with a sly smile, "and we have blueprints compliments of _SW_." Alicia leaned her back against the cupboards, tempted to scoot her body away from him but knowing she couldn't afford to. If she showed her discomfort at being so close to him he would eat it up. The circumstances of their Op left her maddeningly at his mercy.

Samson knew what was going on in that head of hers, and despite her unflinching confidence he took satisfaction in it. He moved his hands from her knees to instead rest on either side of her against the counter, his torso looming forward a little as he smirked down at her. "Any word from Dìaz?"

"He stopped by the room after you left," Alicia acknowledged with a slight nod.

"And what did our friend want," he asked in low tone, eyes flickering down to trace over her curves, "besides _you_?" She did a good job of remaining completely at ease, even as his body boxed her in. Normally he would have pushed it even further, his hands itching to move from the counter at the urge to slide onto the warm skin of her thighs the short jean skirt she wore left exposed. But he had plans in mind, and he restrained himself, putting on a charming smile as he met her eyes.

"He had business this morning and was kind enough to offer me the use of a car and Micah."

"The muscle?" he questioned, cocking a brow. The smile on her face said it all and he shook his head. "You're on a first name basis," Samson scoffed, "how _cute_."

Alicia flashed him a playful smirk. "Well it got me access to the guards signal," she quipped back.

"What's your plan for the cameras?" Samson asked, knowing that she had one. While he was Point he was giving her control over every decision that concerned her. There was a power in allowing others to choose for themselves.

"Dìaz invited me to join him poolside for lunch. I should be able to get a tour out of him," she shrugged, filling him on the details. _Plan for success,_ she recited in her mind, _prepare for failure. _It was a loose plan for it relied on things going right, but when it came to playing with people sometimes you had to assume. She ran over the basic outline without a single interruption from Samson.

It seemed solid enough to work and he had no reason to argue with her. After some minor adjustments to the details everything was set and he was glancing over his shoulder to the clock on the wall. "So what time is my wife expected for her lunch date with another man?" he asked, running a hand over his short brown hair.

"One o'clock," she informed him, watching as he took a step back from her.

He offered her a hand which she accepted, hopping down from the counter. The second she was on her feet she reached up, tousling her auburn waves with her own hands. "Tell me," he asked lowering his voice to a serious tone, "is it an affair?"

Alicia couldn't help but laugh at the dangerous glint to his eyes, impressed with his performance as she often was. "You know, you're good at sounding jealous," she teased.

"And you're bad at dodging a question," he shot back, lips twitching up into a dark smirk.

She knew the moment would come where she'd have to decide, but it still took her a moment. "I have no reason to get close to Dìaz once I access the video feeds," she gave a small shrug.

"Does that mean you're mine for the rest of the week?" Samson pushed, wanting to make her say it.

Knowing what he was up to, she decided not to give him the satisfaction of seeing her roll her eyes. He was right; she did let her guard down around him too often. "_Camille_ is," she corrected him sweetly.

Her partner smirked, leaning up against the back of the door with his arms crossed over his bare chest. "Drop and give me twenty, _wifey_," he teased even as she was already on her way towards the ground. She decided not to comment and instead launched right into the pushups. Samson watched as her muscles flexed, her body moving in perfect form as she counted to twenty, one hand behind her back as she focused solely on her right arm. When she finished they switched positions and it was her turn to watch as he pumped out thirty of his own.

Though neither had broken a sweat, even with how quickly they'd executed the impromptu workout; their cheeks had taken on a slightly flushed look. Alicia reached out, sliding the black athletic shorts he wore a little further down his hips. They hung low, showing the cut of his abdominal muscles, not that she bothered to look. Instead her eyes flickered to the clock. "You'll be back at five?" she questioned before meeting his eyes.

"Miss me already?" he responded with a question of his own.

"Not even when my cover requires it," she shot back in a sweet tone. Alicia flashed him a bright smile, pulling open the door and striding out. Micah peeled himself away from his post beside the door, but not before Samson pulled her to a stop.

As though it wasn't enough they already appeared sex ruffled he drew her towards him by her hand, stealing a kiss. "Enjoy your lunch," he smirked down at her the moment their lips were apart, "and play nice."

"Do I ever?" she laughed, giving him a parting smile. There was no reason not to fix her hair anymore, and so she did as she strode from the gym with her guard in tow.


	17. Always an Audience

_Hey guys... me again! Thank you for tuning into another chapter of Lesson One! Feel free to check out the youtube videos that go with this story, or friend my writer account on Facebook, both under the name: Jaded Rein_

_Your feedback is much appreciated! Much love - Jade3_

* * *

Alicia's eyes eased open, adjusting to the sunlight streaming through the window. She stared up at the ceiling, getting up the nerve to move. It seemed like no matter what position the pair fell asleep in come morning they were spooning. Waking up next to Samson was painstaking, _especially_ now that Birkhoff had access to the eyes in the sky. Under Amanda's instructions she was supposed to be making Birkhoff jealous with her partner. While there'd been no direct order to use the away Op for that reason, Alicia knew better. Every second under surveillance was an opportunity to further the woman's hidden agenda.

As much as she disliked sharing a bed with Samson it had been necessary. With her decision to avoid getting any closer to Salvador it meant she had to play her role as _Mrs. _Durden convincingly. Seeing as Mr. Dìaz felt it necessary to have a camera in the guest room he'd provided, that included sleeping with her husband dearest. For the past three nights she'd cozied up next to her partner and forced herself to fall asleep. It was easier said than done, and every time she climbed into the large bed to settle down in Samson's company her body was on a weary alert. Every nerve in her body woke up and waited for the inevitable to happen; for Samson to make a move.

To Alicia's surprise, and suspicion, it was their fourth morning and so far he hadn't. While he took great joy in making sure he was always the first to the bed, forcing her to be the one to come to him in the process; that was the extent of it. _He's planning something,_ she thought of the man whose arm was coiled around her waist. There was no other explanation for his behavior. During the day he savored his role as her husband. He was handsy, flirtatious and took great pride in having _Camille_ on his arm. Yet in the bed his hands didn't stray; even when their covers provided every reason for them to.

She shifted forward the slightest bit only for his muscles to contract and draw her tighter up against him. Samson's broad chest covered her back, a slight moistness formed from their combined body heat and his bare skin against hers. Alicia's hands lowered to the arm that was currently holding her hostage. As if it wasn't enough that he had his arm around her, his hand was tucked in under the dip of her waist, successfully securing her to him. It was like a seatbelt, only one made of muscle and responsive to her touch. The moment her fingers brushed his arm hair the sensation of his body tensing followed.

"Going somewhere?" Samson's low voice rolled into her ear carried on a warm breath.

"It's almost six," she replied, drawing her hands from his arm. There was no point in trying to pry her way free.

He grimaced towards the waves of her hair. "So to Birkhoff then," the man's name was bitter on his tongue.

"To _briefing_," Alicia corrected him stiffly.

"Which he goes to for _you_," he countered with a scoff. Nothing made it past Samson when it came to Alicia, and he prided himself in knowing her better than she knew herself. There was something going on there and he was determined to find out what it was.

"Not that I don't find it flattering you think I'm worth waking up at six in the morning, but have you ever considered it's because he's a part of this Team?" she asked, the tone of her voice one that would be followed by an eye roll.

Samson didn't buy her little act, not for one second. They both knew the Head IT had ulterior motives. "A Team he agreed to join," he withdrew his arm from her, sitting up in the process, "because of _you_."

Alicia rolled on to her back, looking up at her partner as he sat on the edge of the bed with his gaze directed at her. She smiled innocently at his persistence; it was marginally fun to get on his nerves. If it wasn't for the fact they were discussing Birkhoff she would have taken more pleasure in his frustration at being left out of the loop. "What makes you think he had a choice?" she asked, continuing on her act of feigned ignorance.

"The guy's a geek but he's still the Head IT," Samson humored her by answering, "and he's made a career out of being a pain in the ass. If he didn't have incentive to go along with it he'd be his usual cynical self and find a way out."

"Well we are _shining stars_," a little smile played over her features at her words, "so it's only natural he'd want in on the action. We're on our way to some high profile jobs."

Despite the fact he knew there was truth behind her words he also knew she was trying to avoid answering. His eyes traced over her body, the sheet strewn aside from his rising. "We both know a thing or two about ulterior motives," his voice rolled smoothly from his lips. This was an opportunity if he'd ever seen one, and it was one he was going to approach with the proper level of forethought. Samson made no attempt of disguising the mischief from his gaze as he met her waiting eyes.

"He's a valuable asset," a little smirk played over her lips, giving away nothing.

If he hadn't been certain there were motives behind her actions, then the glitter in her eye would have confirmed any suspicions he had. "There's more to this than keeping him on the Team," he accused in a low tone, wishing she'd give him _something_. Until he got this whole Birkhoff debacle out of the way he couldn't start on his more personal goals with Alicia.

His hazel eyes were locked on hers, and she responded to his intense gaze with a playful smile. "You sure have put a lot of thought into this," Alicia purred, "haven't you?"

"You had him hooked just by playing the sweetheart," he responded, a dark glint to his eyes, "there was no reason to take it to flirting."

"Jealous?"

"_Curious_," Samson shot back, lips lifting up into a smirk.

Her eyes flickered down to the hand he'd just slipped onto her stomach, returning to his face as he leaned over her. "Haven't you heard? Curiosity killed the cat," she quipped, not liking where this was headed. She knew he was going to bring it up again sooner or later, she had just been hoping for later.

"Satisfaction brought it back," he replied, expression as smug as ever. For a moment he held her eyes before shifting to look down towards where his hand rested on the smooth skin of her stomach. Samson lifted his palm slowly, leaving only his fingertips in contact with the warm skin. "You know," he breathed, "I _could _help you."

"You don't even know what it is that I'm doing," Alicia replied easily. If Amanda had allowed her to fill him in on the project then this wouldn't have been happening. But no; the woman had insisted on him remaining uninformed. _All in due time_ had been her response when Alicia had brought up Samson's inquiries about her interactions with Birkhoff.

Her eyes remained on his face, watching as his focus remained elsewhere. "I do know for a _genius _he's not very perceptive. He's so eager to believe you're interested" his fingers traced around her belly button, "that he hasn't given it a second thought. If he had any clue you were using him he wouldn't be so forthcoming." Samson's face remained casually soft as he watched the progress of his light touches.

"Is that a threat?" she asked, picking up on the implication of his words.

"Just a friendly warning."

If it wasn't for the fact they were currently under surveillance Alicia would have already walked away from this confrontation. "Well thank you," she smiled coyly, "but I have everything under control."

Samson gave a devious smile, eyes remaining on the fingers he was currently trailing down the smooth muscles of her stomach. _Now I'm getting somewhere,_ he thought smugly. He could get the most genuine reactions from Alicia when he got under her skin, and it seemed like the only time he was able to do so was when they were alone. If it weren't for the eye in the sky then she wouldn't have currently been his captive. "Oh I don't doubt that. He's hooked on you, that's for sure," he chuckled darkly. "Only lately he's been cocky," he shifted his eyes up to meet hers, fingers stilling a millimeter from her panty line, "_too_ cocky."

"Like I said; I know what I'm doing," she responded sweetly, ignoring the fingertips currently teasing the sensitive south of her belly button.

"And what is it you're doing?"

"Like I'd tell you?" it was Alicia's turn to chuckle, her brows rising in amusement. She couldn't let him get to her. Samson was like a shark; one whiff of blood and he'd be circling.

For a moment he just stared at her, as though expecting her to change her mind and tell him. He knew she wasn't about to however, and it only made him all the more determined to find the answers. "I'll tell you what_ I_ know," Samson lifted his hand from her stomach, "I know he's watching us right now. The geek is sitting there at his computer with his eyes glued to the screen."

"I'm sure he is," she replied easily. If his words affected him she didn't let it show.

He didn't buy it though, and knew better than to give up. "I also know he's not nearly as jealous as he should be," he accused with a piercing gaze. Samson moved swiftly, not breaking eye contact for a heartbeat as he shifted. She didn't have the chance, or the choice, to move before he could climb on top of her. His forearms rested on either side of her head, his own face a few inches from her own. "What did you do to convince him not to worry," he demanded to know, "did you kiss him?"

She had known that he wouldn't let it go, but she hadn't counted on the intensity that radiated from him along with his body heat. There was nothing between them but her lingerie and his silk boxers and it made her wish things weren't so damned complicated. If she had it her way all it would take was one well placed slice of the ceramic knife she'd been given by Roan and he'd shut up for good. While silencing Samson wouldn't solve anything it _would _bring her pleasure. He may have been the closest thing to a friend she had at Division, but he was treading on dangerous ground. If he told Birkhoff she was using him then it would ruin Amanda's assignment and things would only go downhill from there. "Why do you care so much?" Alicia had the urge to ask.

"That's a yes," he shot back with a wry smile, ignoring her question. His lips loomed closer, eyes dancing over her face as his warm breath tickled her skin. "Is there more?" Samson pushed, unwilling to let it rest, "Did you sleep with him?"

"Yes," she wasted no time in replying, "in fact he _ravished_ me. On more than one occasion, before you ask."

Samson's eyes narrowed, taking in the emerald eyes that stared up into his. It only took a second for his expression to change as a dark chuckle rolled from his lips. "I'll believe that when pigs fly."

"I'd be more than happy to throw you across the room," Alicia responded in a sweet tone, "if that's all it'll take."

He sighed, giving his head a slow shake. He'd known it wouldn't be easy, getting the information out of her, but he was determined. "I won't stop," his words came out a whisper, his lips lowering to her ear, "not until I get an answer. How far I have to go to get that answer is up to you." Samson drew his face back down to peer down at her, his expression serious. It was only fair he warn her. They both knew what he was capable of.

She stared up at him, mind working as quickly as it could. Alicia didn't doubt the sincerity behind his threat; not for a second. What he'd do to get what he wanted however, she had no idea. Whatever it was, she knew it wasn't going to be good. Unfortunately that didn't do anything to change the circumstances. "What are you going to do Samson; torture me?" her question came out before she could stop it.

"That's exactly what I'll do," he confirmed without hesitation, a foreboding gleam in his eyes.

Her lips twitched, tempted to grimace, but she knew that she couldn't. As much as she wanted to get it all over with she didn't have a choice in the matter; Amanda had told her not to tell him. "My knife's on the bathroom counter," her voice came in a confident tone, "you can start with that if you'd like."

Samson's eyes softened, a little smile playing across his features. "You have me all wrong," his voice was gentle, and when he shifted it was to run his fingers down her cheek, "I don't want to hurt you." This scared her more than a direct threat, and she could feel her heart skip a nervous beat. There was nothing she could do, for the deck was stacked against her. Before she had the chance to conjure up a reply his lips were on hers, kissing her deeply. His tongue taunted hers, mouth working against Alicia's despite her stunned lack of response.

By the time she processed what he was doing her hands had already come to rest on his pecs- ready to push him back. She caught herself just in time, every nerve screaming at her to push even as she commanded her hands to stop. Their touch had registered witch Samson however, and he drew his lips back to look down at her. His eyes flickered to see her fingers splayed out over the muscles of his chest before darting back up to meet her emerald eyes. He could see the question there and the complete lack of understanding thrilled him. There was no doubt in his mind he'd chosen the perfect course of action.

"Don't forget we have an audience," he warned with a grin that could rival the Cheshire cat.

Alicia hadn't forgotten, and she didn't feel the need to point out it had been the only thing holding her back from carrying out the threat of throwing him across the room. "I haven't," she replied flatly, wiping her face of any emotion.

He deftly snatched her wrists up in his, moving to instead press them into the pillow above her head, pinning them with ease with one of his hands. With a small shift he lifted his body from hers, easing his weight slightly onto his knees. "You know sometimes I wonder," he commented softly, "does he get jealous watching you seduce men?" Every word, every action was intended to egg her on. Unlike when she was running a game Alicia was the one on strings and they were both aware who was in charge of the situation.

"You think I care about that?" Alicia asked, and to her credit her voice was as steady as ever.

"Do you?" he answered her question with one of his own.

She flashed him a smile, her eyes glinting with the malice that she couldn't show any other way. "If you're trying to make him jealous," she replied easily, "it's pointless. He knows it's my job. You think I didn't plan around that?"

"Of course not; I know you better than that. But all of your planning doesn't change the truth," he moved, shifting one leg between hers to follow it with the other as he returned her smile with a smirk.

"And what is that?"

Samson lowered his mouth to her ear, pressing his cheek to hers. He let his hot breath wash past her ear, taking a few seconds to savor the almost imperceptible pause in her breathing. "You have too much pride to let me win," he whispered, "and I have all day _wifey_." The words lingered there with all of their implications and save for the sound of her light breaths all was silent. There wasn't anything for her to say, and so he lowered his lips to her neck to press a kiss into the nape of it.

Alicia laid there beneath him with her mind in a panic. He was right and it _killed _her. She couldn't let him win, couldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing that he'd found a weakness. If it were _anyone_ else she would pretend it was Birkhoff's hand gliding up her stomach, that it was Birkhoff grinding his pelvis up against hers. But it wasn't; it was Samson's and he was the one person she couldn't make believe with. They were a Team, he was her partner and worse yet she knew _exactly_ how far he'd go to get what he wanted.

_Snap out of it_, her brain hissed as it pulled her back into the situation. Division had trained her better than to retreat inside of her mind and she hated that Samson was the one who was getting the better of her. All of her training pointed towards the only option she had, and that was to complete the Operation. She had known that sooner or later something like this would come to pass. Bedroom missions happened; that was just the way things were. It was a fact she had accepted. In order to be worthy of her second chance at life sacrifices had to be made. This was a personal test and she couldn't let herself fail.

He could feel her relax beneath him and he smiled into her neck. Things were going perfectly and it almost seemed _too_ easy. He had no delusions about her compliance, and didn't bother to look at her face when he drew his head back. Samson knew he'd only find a mask there but it didn't worry him; his eyes were on her bra clad breasts instead. Abandoning its station on her wrists, his hand lowered to her bra to meet the other that had just reached the same destination. With a tear he was through the mesh and pushing aside the cups of the bra to expose her. In a heartbeat his mouth was lowered, his hands tracing down the curve of her body as he teased her with his lips and tongue.

Soft little moans filled the air and she moved beneath him in pleasure. The heat and friction of his hips grinding against hers caused him to harden as he let his hands glide up and down the dip in her waist, mouth busy. When he drew back his head it was to look directly down into her emerald eyes and the moment they did he smirked at the loathing there. They both knew the pleasure she was expressing was for the purpose of the camera. It was all he needed to stiffen the rest of the way and he buried it against her, stilling his hips so she could feel him in his fullness with nothing but the thin fabric of their undergarments separating them.

His hands glided up to her breasts, pinching and tweaking with expert fingers. There was no hiding her body's response to him and he took great satisfaction in the spark of anger in her eyes when he flicked her nipples before continuing his assault. His hazel eyes stared unblinkingly down at her, challenging her without so much as a word. Alicia tilted her head back, closing her eyes as she picked up the volume of her breathy moans. He knew it was to shut him out but he didn't care. His eyes danced over her, taking in every inch he could get before lowering his mouth once more to her ear.

"If the geek _was_ a jealous man," he whispered huskily, pausing for effect "then _this_ would do the trick." Samson's hands slid down to hitch under Alicia's knees, pulling them up and spreading them as he went. Her moaning had fallen short, breath catching instead as he rotated his hips slowly to grind against her. He wasted no time in pulling his head back to stare down at her, making a point of looking at her body lying before him. After a few scans he lifted them to meet her gaze, tilting his head slightly as he gave a smug smile. "But you know what?" he asked, lowering his lips just a breath away from hers as he stared her dead in the eyes.

A flash of emotion appeared on Alicia's face only to disappear before he could register what it was. Getting a rise out of her was enough though, and he pushed on instead. "I think he gets off watching," he mused, "_anything_ to get a look at you." At this her eyes went blank, hazing over as though another thought had occupied her mind. It was all he needed to know he was getting through to her. Despite her valiant attempts to remain in character he knew how to find the cracks in her wall. All he needed to do was hit the right point and everything would come crumbling down.

Alicia tried; she tried not to let his words get to her. But it was too late. At the mention of Birkhoff the dam of her thoughts broke loose. There was no doubt in her mind he was watching the pair at the very moment and it was a bullseye on her heart. She had been focusing so hard on how to make it through the current situation that she'd pushed all worries about him away. In order to fake the pleasure she had to be the Alicia that Division knew. _What if he doesn't think I'm faking it?_ She worried, fully aware of how much Birkhoff hated their partner. All of her energy diverted to trying to contain the guilt, masking all of the emotion twisting inside with two glassed over eyes.

The only thing that called her back to earth was the sound of Samson's voice once more. It felt like she hadn't so much as blinked and yet his face was no longer hovering above hers. He'd drawn back, a devilish glint to his eyes as he stared down at her. "I'll see you in the shower," he said huskily, pairing it with a wink. Alicia watched as Samson backed off of her, striding across the floor and into the bathroom. _He's up to something_. It wasn't a suspicion; it was a fact. She worried at the possibilities of what he would find if he kept digging. Amanda had told her this mission was strictly need to know, but if Samson wasn't filled in soon then he could ruin more than just her assignment. If she and Birkhoff were discovered by _him_ then everything would come to an abrupt end.

Birkhoff, on the other hand, had a cynical smirk on his face as he sat behind his computer. His _partners_ had been late for briefing so Michael had ordered he pull up the video feed they'd acquired compliments of Salvador Dìaz's personal laptop. After about a minute into watching the smut Michael had told him to turn it off, and that Birkhoff would just have to fill them in when they were done because _he_ had things to do. He didn't even argue, just agreed and turned back to his computer as the man left. After what he'd just gotten a peek of, the _last_ thing Birkhoff wanted was Michael in the room. He shot a glance over his shoulder towards the door to make sure the broody man had left.

Satisfied that he had, Birkhoff had returned to the video feed to watch the scene unfold. His initial reaction had been anger, frustration and the urge to find a way to break it up. If he hadn't been driven to watch it so closely he wouldn't have noticed they were talking on his screen, and even without audio he knew it wasn't pillow talk it appeared to be. He knew Alicia; that was one thing he was confident in. Whatever he saw on his screen right now she was playing Camille and every second she was with Samson was going towards getting Salvador Dìaz off of her case. He'd never thought it would be possible, but the man irritated him even more than the cocky young Agent who was in the process of placing a call in to Division.

He wasn't about to take this laying down however. Birkhoff waited until the last second to accept the call, his eyes trained on Alicia's image on his screen. She lingered on the bed for a moment after Samson disappeared, placing a hand over her heart as she eased herself off of the bed, eyes towards the open bathroom door. "You're late," he answered gruffly, switching the call over to a headset without hesitation. What the cocky idiot didn't know was Amanda _wanted_ Birkhoff jealous, and jealous he would be. In a few minutes _he_ would be the one gloating and, unlike Samson, he would have every right to.

"I was busy," he shot back, "that happens on the field."

Birkhoff grimaced. He'd never killed anyone before, but he would gladly change that for Samson. It wasn't just that he got to kiss _his_ girl on Division issued missions, no; it was his attitude about it. If the guy liked her he could understand, Birkhoff was used to that now, but the snake just wanted to use her. For what Birkhoff didn't quite know, but what he did know was he hated the guy and by hitting on Alicia he could get on his nerves. Alicia still on his screen, his words were for Samson's ears only as he goaded the young man. "I saw, girl's got mad acting skills. She's had years of practice. A regular black belt by now," he smirked as he said it.

Alicia chose that moment to join him in the bathroom, and Samson's eyes landed on her as she closed the door behind her. The bra hung ripped open, and he held open a robe with a charming smile. She didn't hesitate to accept and he stepped up behind her to slip it on, glancing down at her as he did so. "So, fill us in on what we missed, will you?" he shot towards the computer the moment he finished.

"It actually is what _you_ missed," Birkhoff's irritating voice came from the speakers, "no surprise there. Looks like Salvy is having a little soirée tonight."

His eyes flickered to Alicia's and she gave a little shake of her head as she adjusted her hair. "We haven't heard anything about it," he confirmed.

"I find that hard to believe," he scoffed, "you're living at the guy's house."

"We've been keeping busy," Samson responded with irritation, "which is why there's been nothing to report in on. I thought the primary objective was to see the transaction through?" When Alicia had decided not to encourage Salvador's approaches Samson had decided to bring her along with him to the gym the next morning. It was no surprise the men there loved her, nor was it unexpected that she had ended up breaking out the gloves herself. They'd been invited to a drink and he'd accepted seeing the perfect use of his cover to keep his wife out of their business partner's line of sight. As long as Mrs. Durden was out with her husband then the bodyguard wasn't needed. It was convenient and worked out well for him.

"Listen newb, _anyone_ can be an asset. You can't just rule them out because you don't feel like it," Birkhoff wasted no time in chastising him over the line.

"Then it'd be my fault," Alicia spoke up, "I was the one who decided to keep Dìaz at arms length."

Seeing an opportunity, and agreeing with his partner's judgment, Samson nodded. "I'm point here," he reminded the geek, "and we _are_ supposed to be married. It was a solid call." Despite the fact he had a side project going on with Alicia he was still focused on his work for Division. Getting the mission done was priority one, and she was the best he was going to get as a partner.

Glad that Samson was back to business, Alicia drew closer to the laptop. "I take it we need to be at this party?" she asked, wanting to at least hear Birkhoff's voice while she had the chance.

"Bingo dollface," Birkhoff's tone calmed her nerves, "I have a job for you." She could hear his fingers typing away on his end and waited patiently, ignoring Samson's eyes. It wasn't because he had confused her by moving their heated scene off camera that her mind using the pause in conversation to about him. As thankful as Alicia was for escaping the bedroom she knew that he had a reason behind every move he did. If Samson had given up his dominating position over her then there had to be a reason behind it.

Her eyes flickered over towards him for a split second, returning her attention to the laptop quickly. Despite how many problems his digging presented he truly was a solid partner. Samson only took credit where it was due. He listened to orders and unlike some of the members of Division he didn't so much as question Alicia running Point. When it came to the field they were an ace team, and she knew whatever it was that Birkhoff had for them they'd be able to handle it. Alicia had been the one to decide against utilizing Salvador, regardless of her partner having the final say. If they needed to change their approach they would; it was as simple as that.

It turned out that was exactly the case. "We need to keep an eye on him, see how many big players come tonight," Birkhoff's eyes flickered over his screen.

"I thought he's only been in the game for three years?"

Samson's voice made him grimace, running his knuckles against his beard as he scoffed. "Again, are you not staying in dude's palace? He's a modern day Scarface only without a guns blazing, cocaine riddled death any time in the foreseeable future," he paused, "we hope."

When Alicia's soft laugh filled his ear he smiled. "Well that's reassuring. So we shouldn't expect a shoot out tonight?" she teased.

"There's none on the menu," he confirmed, relaxing back into his seat. For now this was the closest he could get to her; teasing over a Division line with their mutual partner undoubtedly hating every second of it. "All you have to do is rub elbows with the big wigs and see what tidbits you can catch. We have an Active who's been under years, says the party is poolside. That means no cams but we can swing buds if you avoid getting wet."

"It's my fault we didn't hear about this sooner," Alicia sighed, thankful for the warmth of the robe, "I should have used his attention. We would have at least some leads on who will be attending." Samson appeared not to be as chilly as she was, standing in the air conditioned bathroom in nothing but his boxers like it was nothing. She wasn't all too surprised; despite the fact she was in great shape she was naturally a small girl. He, on the other hand, ran warm. After sharing a bed the past few nights she knew this to be true. The bed only had a silk sheet and Salvador Dìaz's entire house was kept a cool sixty-eight degrees compared to the balmy heat outside. She was begrudgingly grateful for the warmth he radiated at night, not that she'd ever admit it.

"Relax young padawan," Birkhoff smirked, "the force will be with you on this one. I'll fill you in on the ones that wave their names around and run voice recog through ShadowNet on the rest. Throw in your brain ninja skills and we'll work with what you get."

"You can get Intel on them that quickly?" Alicia asked, voice laced with incredulity.

He could picture how upset Samson must look, and he shot a glance around Operations before smiling slyly. "It's a project I've been working on, so consider this the maiden voyage," Birkhoff dropped a goody for her to pick up on.

"You mean to say you don't even know if it even works?"

"It'll work," he dismissed easily, not interested in what _he_ had to say. Birkhoff was much more interested in Alicia. Once it came to the party tonight there'd be little time for her to talk. After what he'd just watched it was the only way he'd get any sleep tonight.

"I'm up happy to be your guinea pig," Alicia pitched in before they could start bickering. She knew that Birkhoff had to be angry over their reason for being late to briefing, and while it wasn't directed towards her, she still felt responsible. It was a wonder that he was being so easy going to begin with.

Samson shot her a narrowed eye stare. "This is an Active mission," he tried to be the voice of reason, "we can't risk testing something, not around these guys. I know you're not down here, but we _have_ seen the place. Not only does Dìaz run a tight ship, but he pays close attention to her." Though Alicia met his eyes it was Birkhoff he spoke to with an irritated tone. The geek was already interfering with his little schemes involving Alicia and he wasn't about to let him mess with the Operation on top of it.

"Did you miss the part where I said _it will work_?" Birkhoff smarted back in his classic fashion.

"See, he says it will work," Alicia was quick to shoot a grin his direction and add in a whisper, "besides, just a few minutes ago you called him _the_ Head IT and referred to him as a _genius_, remember?"

Her attitude was cute and he made no attempt to hide the dark smile that crept onto his lips. "I do, I also remember the context in which in which they were used. You're only proving my original point," Samson goaded her. He made no attempt to whisper; he knew the computer nerd would know what was said regardless the volume. The tech expert would find a way if it came to it, that much he could believe.

"Your point it moot. What we're talking about is saving hours of face memorizing," she crossed her arms over her chest, smile never falling. One of her brows rose in a challenge.

He knew she knew him too well and he gave in at the promise of less time behind a screen. "If something goes wrong you owe me lunch," Samson gave in, seeing no reason not to at this point. He'd only debated it to annoy the man in the first place. At least this way he'd get something out of it.

"And if everything goes right?"

"Then I'll treat you to dinner," it was Birkhoff who answered Alicia's question before Samson got the chance to. He'd been working on a way to put the offer out there and was glad he'd waited. As much as he'd wanted to suggest it right off the bat to calm his nerves the timing couldn't have been more perfect.

Samson wasted no time in laughing and turning his back on Alicia. She watched as he strode towards the shower, one hand up and scratching the back of his neck as he went. "That's an incentive if I've ever heard one," he rolled his eyes before shooting a little look back to her. He knew she'd say yes and he had no intentions of getting in the way. _Let her have her game_, he thought as he turned his eyes forward.

"I go into the sharktank without Intel you'll get me dinner?" she asked, Samson listening in even as he turned on the shower.

"That's the plan," Birkhoff confirmed.

"You get a trial run on your new program and I get food? I hardly think that's fair," she scoffed. He couldn't help but look up, one hand in the water as he fiddled with the temperature. His eyes danced over her face, paying attention to her expression as she spoke. Words were only half of the story and Samson didn't need to think twice to know Alicia was leading this somewhere. Whatever plans she had for the man revolved around Birkhoff doing the chasing; this much Samson was certain of. As often as she encouraged the geek she also challenged him, successfully making him feel like he had something to achieve.

Alicia was good at what she did. Birkhoff was eating out of the palm of her hand, and Samson knew from her sly smile that she anticipated it to go her way. _I could stop it_, he considered the option a moment before stripping of his boxers. Instead he gave up on watching her and stepped into the shower, content with being able hear their conversation. He didn't care what it was they were saying; all that mattered was the tone of Alicia's voice. She was running a game on the geek and he wouldn't get any more clues from observing her play it. The only way he was going to get any more answers was to focus on what he knew.

From their time together as recruits he'd gotten to know more about her than he'd ever let on. Samson wasn't like her; his skills didn't come naturally. He'd been in Amanda's special class for two months working his arse off when Alicia had been admitted. In that time he'd shown a promise that had earned the new recruit being put under his care. When they started in on their first Situation things had clicked. It was as though Alicia were built specifically as his counterpart, and from the first day of practicing emotional espionage onwards he'd had her in his sights. Unlike the other females he encountered she was worthy prey and presented a challenge. Or so he'd initially believed. Samson had quickly come to realize that she was as much of a predator as he was.

She was circling like a hawk and he had no misconceptions about the rabbit being stalked. Birkhoff wasn't the target, no; he was just the source. What she wanted had to do with something he had. With a man like the Head IT it could be any number of things she was after. He had high level access not to mention enough of a history with Division he practically lived in the place. There were more possibilities about what she could be after than he had patience to file through. Even knowing her approach didn't place him any closer to the answer he was after. If she wasn't so brilliant at covering her tracks and playing a role then Samson never would have been interested by her in the first place. In order to know what she was after he would first have to make her _want_ to tell him. There was no other way around it.

He stepped from the shower, leaving it running as he patted himself down. _She won't let me in,_ his eyes flickered over Alicia as she sat perched on the counter talking to Birkhoff, _so I'll just have to make her._ It was something he'd accepted early on, and just one of the reasons for giving up on his bedroom interrogation. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he tucked the edge in before striding towards her. "So what time is this party?" he asked, interrupting their tech conversation. He'd let them talk long enough.

"Word on the street says seven," Birkhoff answered, his voice coming through the speakers.

Samson gave a brisk nod, meeting Alicia's emerald eyes as he stopped in front of her. "We'll just have to confirm that, won't we?" he asked, a mischievous smile playing across his lips.

"We?" she asked, one of her thin brows rising as she questioned him.

"I don't need to pimp my wife out for an invite," he ran a hand over his wet hair, flicking off some of the drops of water as he went. His eyes followed a rogue droplet that made it to her chest, landing on the fair skin there as an idea formed in his mind. When she had decided to keep an affair with Salvador out of the picture it had made things much more fun for him. Having Alicia on his arm was one thing, but having her on his arm _and _trying to hold his attention was entirely different. Her smiles and flirts were all for him, and yet behind every kiss she made it clear it was only an act. The only chink in her armor seemed to be in reference to him, and the pleasure he got out of knowing he could get a rise out of her was immense. "_Dìaz_ is going to come to us," Samson informed her with a point towards the unoccupied shower, "and you'll need to be ready."

Alicia slipped off of the counter, getting to her feet with a glance to the laptop. As much as she wanted to keep talking to Birkhoff she already counted herself as lucky and it was better not to dig when it came to her partner. When he had a plan he'd tell her what she needed to know, and what he didn't tell her didn't matter. Well, that or it had to do with the fact he was launching a one man investigation into her interactions with Birkhoff. "I always am," she quipped before she could stop herself.

"Always?" Samson purred, his body looming closer. In a smooth move he reached around her and ended the connection to Division with a push of a key.

Slipping around him, she ignored his smirk and waited until her back was to him to purse her lips. _It's not worth it_ her mind hummed on repeat. It was the only thing keeping her sane. Handling Samson usually wasn't difficult; their little spars were usually _fun_. Had he been pestering her about anything other than Birkhoff she would be playing the game alongside him. Instead he'd gotten the upper hand so easily, trapping her in her role under the watchful eye of the camera so he could question her. Worse yet was that he had shown mercy and moved the scene into the privacy of the bathroom.

By the time they were both dressed and starting down the hall she felt like she was going crazy. At her side Samson was now her husband, Isaac, and once more she was Camille Durden. Fingers that had tormented her barely two hours ago were interlaced with hers as he took her hand and increased their pace. "You're not needed," he shot over to the man in black who had moved to follow.

"My orders-"

Alicia caught the sharp look that cut the armed guard short at the same time she recognized the voice. Her eyes flickered over to Micah's whose were hidden behind his usual dark sunglasses. "I'm all the protection she needs," Samson's voice came just as harsh as his glare.

"Leave the man alone," she cut in, looking over to her husband as they fell into step in front of Micah. When their eyes met her brows rose, giving him a soft smile as she spoke, "You of all people should know what it's like to try to keep an eye on me."

Isaac's harsh gaze softened when he met her eyes. "He's had an easier job of it than I did," he couldn't help but scoff. She'd been staying in the same room as Samson, so the guard hadn't much to do other than shadow her. More often than not when she interacted with Micah it was to talk.

"I thought of it as fun," she responded with a little pout. He responded to her wide emerald eyes instantly, face softening as Camille looked over at him. "Besides, at any moment you could get busy with work," she added, eyes flickering away from his.

"Not today, today is yours," he promised, lifting their linked hands to his lips to kiss the back of her hand.

"Only because you have to rest up for your match tomorrow," Camille pointed out with a soft laugh as she tugged her hand playfully away, "otherwise I'd be fighting for your attention."

Behind them Micah fought off the urge to smile; she'd distracted Isaac enough to get him to forget trying to lose her guard. Underestimating her was one mistake he was never going to make. He'd accompanied Camille to the gym, keeping an eye on her from the background. When she'd first stepped up to slip on a pair of gloves he'd wanted to intervene, but after watching her first few strikes he was considerably impressed. Micah didn't know how long the couple had been married but it was clear accompanying her husband to the gym was commonplace. She had learned a thing or two and knew how to throw a punch and block a hit. As much as Micah had wanted to see her land a few on her husband the chance never came up. The only person Camille didn't enjoy a playful spar with was her husband.

Isaac Durden was the type of man who liked to show off, and what he liked to show off was his wife. Micah watched as the man in question approached the poolside lounge chairs and stripped of his shirt. They moved with the casual fluidity of a couple as they readied for the pool, and he felt a slight twinge of annoyance watching them. Things were so much easier when he only had to watch Camille. Keeping his trigger finger under control was difficult- especially when Isaac began to apply her sunscreen.

He watched the man's hands gliding over the fair skin of her legs, reminding himself that the man was Camille's husband. His fingers flexed, breathing steadily as he allowed himself to relax. Though the pair was married something set him off every time they touched. Micah didn't know why, but his gut told him that something was off in their relationship. _It's none of my business,_ his mind chimed as he turned his watchful eye to instead scan over his surroundings. Her marriage was none of his concern, he knew this.

Still, when Salvador Dìaz made his appearance Micah tensed up and returned his eyes to Camille. Watching her swim laps he understood his boss's interest in her as much as it worried him. Every stroke as she swam was graceful and fluid, and if it hadn't been for the man matching her pace he might have been tempted to watch her. His stray thought was fulfilled quicker than he had anticipated, and his deep brown eyes observed as Isaac pulled himself from the pool. He didn't so much as glance back at his wife who continued to swim as he closed the distance to the lounge chairs.

It almost disappointed Samson how easy it was to get their host's attention. He'd rightfully assumed the man would show himself if they broke routine and showed up poolside. Supposedly having no knowledge of the party he'd used the hospitality of Mr. Dìaz to their advantage. It was like shooting fish in a barrel. With their target in sight and the goal in mind he had no doubts that they'd get invited to the party. Especially not when Salvador slipped away, leaving Samson with his associate to discuss firearms, joining Alicia the moment she climbed from the pool. Though his eyes never left the man he was talking to he kept track of the pair out of his peripheral vision.

He didn't doubt she'd be able to get an invitation out of Salvador. If anything he was worried about _how_ she'd have to get it. Samson knew firsthand how intoxicating those smiles of hers could be. Despite his act of indifference he couldn't help but feel the familiar tug of jealousy at the attention she was paying to dear old Dìaz. When she took on a role she devoted herself to it, and the attraction she showed her targets by all means appeared genuine. _Exceptions, _Samson's mind hummed smugly. The only time he'd ever seen her so much as falter during a role was when it was _his_ arms she was in. Had it been anyone else pinning her to the bed and interrogating her in such an unorthodox fashion Alicia would have _never_ shown an iota of hesitation.

Samson could picture the look he'd seen in her eyes, or rather the lack of. When those emerald eyes of hers had hazed over he'd known he'd struck a chord; he just didn't know what it was. Nevertheless he had to stop himself before he got carried away. Once glance in her direction and he was reminded of his reasons for stopping earlier. Standing there in a bikini, water droplets lingering on her fair skin, she was a sight to behold. Alicia was slender and every inch of her smoothly toned body was just begging to be touched.

It hadn't been his intent to use the Operation for his own personal gain and in his defense he'd been provoked. Just thinking about the flirting that went on between Alicia and Birkhoff made him annoyed beyond belief. He couldn't even accredit it to the geek's obnoxious personality. No, it all boiled down to the fact she was encouraging him. Worse yet was that she'd left Samson out of whatever game she was playing. He'd meant to let it run its course but something had changed. Somewhere down the line he'd looked over to her and realized that the only person worth calling an equal was her. _Exceptions,_ he thought once more, _she's mine_.


	18. Due For a Good Using

**_Another NEW video for Lesson One is up on Youtube! Give it a look; it's the character introductions! Youtube username is JadedRein, so be sure to check it out! Feedback is super duper appreciated. To those of you who have been reviewing I thank you! It helps keep me motivated. Much love and _****_enjoy- Jade_**

* * *

Birkhoff leaned back in his seat, massaging his temples with his fingers. He _should _have been in a good mood. For all intents and purposes he was- just deep down inside. Tonight he'd get to take Alicia out for the first time. They'd have to play it up for the cameras, sure, but once he brought her back to his apartment they'd be in the clear. _Unless_, he had considered,_ we go back to hers and hold out on my place._ It'd give him a chance to take her out again considering how Amanda had practically salivated at the initial offer. A chance to snoop around his apartment was probably high on her to-do list.

First he'd have to finish work, and at Division it seemed like his work was never done. There was something going on in the head of Ops and he had the sinking feeling no matter how quickly he worked it wouldn't matter; another problem was always around the corner. He wasn't surprised when Michael came stalking in looking just as frustrated as Birkhoff felt. "Whatever it is count me out Mikey," he was quick to warn as the man came to a stop near his station.

Michael looked down at him, the corners of his lips twitching in amusement. "In a hurry to get somewhere?" he asked, tone as smug as he looked.

"Don't sound so surprised," Birkhoff scoffed, looking for an energy drink. All he found was an empty can and he scowled as he sat it back down. He didn't remember finishing it.

"New comic book out?"

"They're _graphic novels," _he corrected him promptly, giving his shoulders a half assed shrug, "and sticks and stones may break my bones words will never hurt me."

Once more his lips twitched, tempted to move into a smirk amidst the dark stubble on Michael's face. "You've been in a good mood lately," he commented, eyes sweeping him in suspicion. It had been a while since Birkhoff had passed up cynical sarcasm and went straight for childish comebacks.

"I'd be in a better mood if everyone didn't come running to me with their problems," Birkhoff grumbled. His eyes searched for a techie to bring him a new drink. The moment one met his eyes he pointed deftly to the empty can before turning his stare to Michael. "Birkhoff do that, Birkhoff solve this…" his eyes landed on the CD in Michael's hand, "what's that?"

"Not for you," he dismissed the question easily. Before the computer genius could inquire further he silenced him with a piercing stare. One look and he had the man frozen in the computer chair and dreading what that expression might mean. Michael had something to talk to Birkhoff about and it was exactly this oblivious attitude that started the whole mess.

Clint stepped up with the cold beverage he'd just fetched, not that either of the men staring at him knew his name. He couldn't decide if that bothered him or not. He'd been at Division for four years now and neither of his superiors had ever paid him any attention. The closest he'd gotten was whenever Alicia would sidle up to his side with something for him to do. Every time she did he prayed whatever had occupied the Head IT's attention enough that she didn't want to disturb him would continue to do so. The feeling of Birkhoff's eyes on the back of his head was not a comfortable one. It was always worth the risk though; working with Alicia. She was on the fast track to an important standing at Division.

He felt like he'd interrupted something and tried to ignore the weight of their eyes as he handed forth the drink. It was easier said than done and Clint found himself meeting Birkhoff's gaze. Behind the glasses he wore there was irritation lacing his navy blue eyes. It was without a doubt directed towards him, and Clint wasted no time in turning to leave only to be caught by Michael's expression. "What's your current assignment?' he questioned without hesitation.

"Nothing sir," Clint responded stiffly, straightening up the slightest bit. If the Head Agent was asking then it could only mean one thing.

"Clean up this footage," Michael confirmed the techie's suspicions, lifting his eyes from Birkhoff to turn them instead to him as he handed over the grunt work.

Clint looked down at the clear case in his hand, the unusual sight of a silver CD catching on the fluorescent lights of Operations. The tech seemed out of place in the high tech lab but he didn't ask questions. Instead he nodded and shrunk back from the pair. It was only appropriate they ignored his retreat to continue their conversation and he had every intent of staying out of their way. Yet, when his eyes flickered over his shoulder to Birkhoff, his feet changed direction all on their own. They carried him forward, coming to a stop only once he'd reached the station directly in front of the Head IT's. All the while he listened in on the men's conversation.

"Give him the easy task," Birkhoff scoffed, "real surprise there."

"_Birkhoff_," the Head Agent growled, his voice its classily smoky tone.

While Clint didn't risk looking at the pair behind him he could just picture the look on Michael's face. If he'd been given that look then he would have shut right up. But not Birkhoff, _no_ – he kept going. "The rest of these_ lackwits_," he raised his voice on the word, putting emphasis on it, "may not be able to do much, but you don't have to come crying to me for everything you know." Michael couldn't even get a word out edgewise before he continued with his usual complaining. "I'm sure if you threw a team of them together they'd be able to manage _something_."

"Maybe if you didn't treat them like-"

"Like what; the nimrods they are?" Birkhoff cut him short.

Michael gave a small scoff, shaking his head. "Not everyone can be a genius," his lips twitched, tempted to smirk at his colleague.

"Right you are," he shot back with a shrug. Birkhoff pop the top of the cold drink, taking a big swig of the beverage. With how addicted he was to the acidic energy drinks he idly wondered if switching to cigarettes would actually be healthier. Setting down the drink he groaned, once more rubbing his temples as he looked over at Michael in his dark grey suit. There was no way the teacher's pet would come visit the whipping boy unless he had a reason. "Did you come here just to critique my attitude?" he asked coyly, brows rising almost in a challenge. If there wasn't work to be done there was no reason for him to behave after all.

"Actually," he paused, "yes."

"Yeah well I don't get that weird comrade bond like you do," Birkhoff grimaced, relaxing back into his seat before taking another drink. Michael's lips tightened at his words. He knew exactly who the Head Technician was referring to; Nikita. They'd been a team after all, and Birkhoff knew just how _attached_ the pair had gotten. Her betrayal had hit the broody Head Agent harder than anyone.

He knew his words would strike a chord with the man, but he hadn't counted on what he'd say next. "What about with Alicia?"

Birkhoff choked on his energy drink despite himself. _He can't know_ his mind reminded him, demanding that he play it cool. So he tried his best, setting down the drink and smothering the coughs that had gotten the attention of the nearby techies. With a sharp sweep of his eyes they were all back to work and dutifully ignoring him once again. Turning his eyes on Michael he hastily wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his sweatshirt. "If we _bonded_," he put every ounce of sarcasm into the word that he could muster, "then no one told me."

It wasn't until after the words left his mouth that he'd realized what he'd just said. Denial had been his initial response. Normally that would have been a good thing to do, a safe move even. Now that he'd said it Birkhoff remembered that he should have been bragging; not on the defense. Michael didn't seem to feel the same, in fact he just smirked. "You_ do_ know we record the com feeds," he intoned, "or did you forget?"

Already back on track Birkhoff wasted no time in formulating an acceptably witty reply. "A little flirting never killed anyone. We have Agents for that."

Michael wasn't amused. He'd come to give the man a friendly warning and he knew that it wouldn't go over smoothly. Birkhoff was what you might call the lone wolf of Division. All he had were his computers for company and that was the way he liked it. Or at least that was what he stuck to. There wasn't a doubt in Michael's mind that the man was yearning for some sort of a connection. It had been easy to recognize the playful relationship between him and Nikita. Only Alicia wasn't Nikita; a fact that seemed to need to be reiterated to the Head Tech. The two were really _nothing_ alike. "You know the rules Birkhoff," he reminded the man, unable to keep his voice from taking on an authoritative tone.

"Chillax Mikey," he scoffed, pushing his glasses back up his nose, "it's under control."

"You asked her on a date," Michael pointed out, his voice lowering an octave.

For a moment Birkhoff stared at him, eyes flickering over his face, before turning to look instead at his previously abandoned computer monitor. "Uh _no_," he chimed, "I didn't. She issued a challenge and I named a reward."

"What happened to _look; don't touch_?"

"That's _my_ rule," Birkhoff corrected him, eyes drawn back to Michael, "not Division's."

He could see he wasn't getting through to the man and had to resist the urge to groan. _Why do I even bother_? He idly wondered, though he was unwilling to give up just yet. Though they weren't exactly best friends, Seymour was the only person left at Division he held some margin of trust in. While Michael knew the Head Technician wasn't expendable he still didn't want to see any harm come to him. Not while he had a say in the matter at least. The only people above Michael on the food chain were Amanda and Percy. If this matter landed on either of their desks there would be little he could do about it. "You paraphrased it," Michael's voice rolled from his lips.

Birkhoff groaned, raking a hand through his hair. If he cared about the people overhearing he didn't show it. "_Lesson One: Relationships are forbidden_," he recited, tilting his head side to side in a mocking fashion along with his words, "that's the law of the land. It doesn't say anything about touching."

"You asked her out on a _date_," Michael repeated. When the man opened his mouth to interject he shut him up with a piercing look. Borderline friendship aside, he could still deliver a good scare when he wanted to. If he hadn't been in the middle of setting Seymour straight Michael would have been tempted to smirk at how quickly he could silence him. Instead he decided to use the opportunity to drive the point home. "For a genius you lack common sense. What were you thinking, asking over the com? You know Ops are recorded," he chastised him, "and you're not stupid enough to believe you're the only one who reviews them."

For a second he stared up at Michael blankly, his eyes blinking behind his glasses. His thick lips had drawn into a line, brow creased and fingers nervously searching for the can he'd set aside. When he finally found it he broke eye contact long enough to shake his head and slam back a few sizable gulps of the beverage. Replacing the drink to its post on his workspace – a safe way from the keyboard – he rotated the chair slightly to better face Michael. "You're the one calling it a date Romeo," his lips rose into a sardonic smile, "not me. All I did was bet a pretty girl dinner that my program would work, which it did, and now I'm going to follow through."

If they weren't in the middle of the Command Center then Michael would have grabbed him by the collar of that damned dark blue sweatshirt and shaken him until the only sound from his open mouth was the echoing of his brain rattling. He pictured it for a second honestly tempted by the idea. Normally he wasn't a physical man. _Bullshit_, his mind laughed at the stray thought, _not a physical man._ Hell- half of his job was teaching recruits hand to hand. Unfortunately this wasn't something that could be solved by a well placed blow to the back of the head and a few words of warning. "You're the one behaving like a star crossed lover," he pointed out, a brow raised in a mix of amusement and admiration. Michael had to hand it to the man; proposing dinner to Alicia in the middle of an Op had taken balls. He'd never taken Birkhoff as the type of man to have any.

"It's called casual sex," the Head IT only continued to surprise the man with his unexpected rebuttal. The moment his words processed Michael's face went blank. _Of all people_, he marveled at the insane events that had left _him_ being confronted with _Seymour Birkhoff's_ suddenly apparent sexual life. "You know," Birkhoff made use of the stunned silence, "shagging, bumping uglies, knocking boots, making the beast with two backs. . . ." his voice trailed off.

"Are you crazy?" was the only question he could muster to ask. He was afraid he might actually laugh at the man's unorthodox list of slang terms for sex. Michael prided himself in limiting his response to no more than a smirk in regards to the few stray pieces of Birkhoff's humor that actually were funny. Of all times for him to be entertaining now was not it.

Clint was having a difficult time paying attention to the video feeds, his mind too distracted with eavesdropping. Beneath his right hand the mouse clicked, idly moving around as he attempted to at least get _something_ done before Michael was breathing down _his_ neck. It wasn't the fact that the Head IT had plans with Alicia for supper that he was interested in. No, that was old news. An unexpected perk of being Amanda's new personal stalker of the pair's interactions was insider knowledge. What he was hoping to catch an earful of had nothing to do with informing to his higher ups. All he wanted was to know what the _hell_ was going on between the two. More specifically he wanted to know what Birkhoff had to gain. The man was quirky but he wasn't an idiot; he had to know something was up.

"Google pr0n," Birkhoff's eyes flittered over to the computer screen as he got to his feet, "I don't have the time to teach you the birds and the bees."

Michael stood his ground, his arms coming to rest across his chest as he squared off with the computer geek. Of all the times he stood up to him he'd never imagined it would be about sex. _Why am I still here?_ he wondered, an answering thought popping up in the form of one word: _Amanda._ "Take five seconds out of your busy schedule to think," he shot back sarcastically, "what exactly do you know about Alicia?"

Birkhoff would have been touched by Michael's insistence to protect him from the big bad wolf if it wasn't for the fact said wolf was actually his top secret girlfriend, and that he'd never be able to fill his one and only friend in on the juicy details. _I don't know Amanda's plan,_ he recited in his head, _I'm not in a relationship._ Instead he had to distract him from the scent, playing aloof once more. "So the girl has Roan as her own personal knife trainer," he shrugged, knowing that had nothing to do with the point being made, "I'll make sure there are only forks and spoons at the table. Crisis averted."

When he stepped around Michael and started from Operations he wasn't all that shocked to hear the sound of footsteps behind him. "Did it ever occur to you that she is _using_ you?" he asked, falling into step beside Birkhoff.

"I'm due for a good using," he shot back on instinct. _Everyone thinks I'm an idiot_ he stewed, too frustrated to be touched at his friend's concern. Birkhoff knew that it was his fault that the man was in the dark about the truth of it all, but there was nothing he could do about it. Telling Michael wasn't his decision to make; it was Alicia's. He knew that he could trust the man, as was evident by the fact he'd come to talk sense it to him, but he wouldn't decide for her. After years of being used and abused something he valued was the right to choose. In Division that basic human right was stripped away but, seeing as he was already breaking the number one rule, he saw no reason to follow the others in respect to Alicia.

Michael's hand shot out, landing on the door Birkhoff had moved to open. "You're already on Amanda's bad side," he reminded him, "messing with her _Pet_ will only make things worse."

"Worse?" he snickered, shaking his head. "Mikey, I didn't do anything to get dragon lady's panties in a bunch in the first place. She's been breathing fire since I got here; it's not going to stop," Birkhoff tugged on the door handle, managing to get it to open an inch before it was pushed shut once more. The ringing of Michael's phone was like a godsend and, the moment he moved to answer it, Birkhoff wasted no time in opening the door. He slid into the room as quickly as he could, but not before he got a good view of the dark look being sent his way.

With a few steps he was to the brown leather couch that matched with absolutely nothing else in the large area that was his bat cave of sorts. Percy had given him a tech room all for himself shortly after he'd been named Head Technician but that didn't mean he could go out and decorate it. No, despite the fact that he'd spent- "Holy toledo," he breathed out loud, "I've almost spent half of my life in this place."

He slunk into the couch, taking off his glasses and setting them aside as he went. There was a weird feeling brewing in his gut and it had the twinge of something he had thought long lost to him; guilt. It was going on sixteen years that he'd been in Division. He could remember Michael being appointed Head Agent like it was yesterday. The lean, broody man's first words to him were in the form of snarky commands and yet. . . and yet he'd shown patience as he watched Birkhoff work. Like with Alicia the friendship hadn't been instant; it took one Operation together.

No one would admit it, but Division was a shady place to say the least. Everything around it was wrapped in secrecy, lies and deception. The program itself had already taken a turn for the worse. There had once been a time where he understood the cause, where the job had been exciting and rewarding. Birkhoff was no longer just a hacker sticking it to the man; he was a god. Safely stationed behind his computer he was the eye in the sky who helped take out the baddest of the bad. Once upon a time he saw a point in it but now? Now his girlfriend, who was supposed to be a set up, was returning from selling guns to a dangerous man all for the sake of finding out who was bankrolling him.

Birkhoff groaned, sinking further into the couch. _And I'm lying to Mikey_ he noted, and when he did the source of the guilt was apparent. They'd never really been _open_ with one another, but at least he'd been honest. Knowing that Michael was concerned about Birkhoff worried him for more reason than one. If he kept an eye on the situation it would only be a matter of time before he found out about either Amanda's plan or the truth behind his relationship with Alicia.

If Alicia hadn't been in the middle of a heated exchange with Roan she would have been having the same worries over Samson. It was impossible to worry about anything other than the practice blade dancing past her face. All that her mind had room for was the movement of her body in response to the man across from her. _Turn. Dip. Weave. _The simple commands Roan would give echoed in her mind for her body to follow. They'd been hammered in after hours of practice and yet there was always room for improvement. The Cleaner had taught her the most important trick to knife fighting: control the body.

While the trick was nondescript in itself she had understood the meaning behind it. From the few times she'd seen Roan in action she had noticed various things. They all boiled down to body control. Block the arm, kick the leg, make them twist to reach you. . . it all came back to controlling your opponent's movements. It was for that reason Roan had agreed to coach her in his particular art form. Control was what they both had in common. They both manipulated emotions to their own means; he deleted them while she conjured them. It was different sides of the same coin really.

He fell back, blue practice knife lowered to his side. There wasn't a need for words, and she joined him at the pig carcass suspended a foot from the floor. The Cleaner stepped up, hands ghosting just a breath away from touching as he guided her back into the position of the move he aimed to correct. Alicia was comfortable with him, moving just the right amount as she sensed what it was he was after. Everything was methodical with him. It wasn't necessary for him to explain what he was correcting; by now she was able to guess. When she was in place he took a smooth step back, eyes flashing over her to make sure the posturing was correct.

"The final moment of the strike is the most important," Roan reminded her in his cool yet informative tone.

She turned her eyes to the pink hues of the carcass before her, thinking over what follow through she'd used when she'd made this move. It took a second to click, and when it did she readied her muscles to strike. Eyes narrowed in she evaluated her mistake. _Lower and smoother_ she deduced before following through to do just that. Unlike during sparring, this time Alicia's slice was rewarded with the resistance of skin, fat and muscle. Her own muscles tensed, bringing the blade to a stop deep within the tissue. Green eyes danced over her handiwork before flickering up to meet the grey eyes that were regarding her.

Roan stepped up smoothly, already positioning himself behind her by the time she turned her eyes back to the carcass. With a tug the blade was free and his hand was on hers. "Light," he instructed, fingers guiding hers, "tight and stiff."

A few words from the man accompanied by his light touches and Alicia had the motion down, nodding once in understanding. The quiet between them during practice felt unusually refreshing. Neither one of them had to pretend to be anything other than what they were: Alicia dedicated to the thrill of learning a new skill and Roan enjoying instructing her. _He loves this_, her mind chanced to wander as he stepped back to watch her make the strike exactly as he'd corrected. The Cleaner was a man who took a twisted pleasure in his work; Alicia could sense it about him. She'd known the moment she'd first met the man. She also knew he was loyal to Percy. Neither fact scared her in the least however.

As they continued in their practice Alicia felt a level of comfort she associated with very few people. Two in fact: Seymour Birkhoff and. . . _Samson_? As she placed a killing stab to what would have been a man's throat she mulled over this revelation. It was true after all; before Birkhoff he'd been her only friend. They'd trained together, eaten together, worked out together and even spent their relaxation periods _together_. For the entire duration of her recruit period Samson had been at her side. As a pair they had even broken a number of rules.

It had been Samson who had informed her the night before that she was about to be sent out on her graduating mission. He'd snuck into her room after lights out like he often did, sitting backwards on the metal chair the basic recruit rooms provided, his chin resting on his crossed arms as he recounted what he'd found out. There'd been no jealousy there, and how she'd first missed that baffled her. His congratulations had been genuine as had her smiles.

An idea struck her, a dangerous sparkle shining in her eyes as she cut the pink skin before her into ribbons. _I can tell him to ask Amanda_ she decided with confidence. This would accomplish oh so many things, and with all the stress her new life entailed it would provide her some much needed relief. Samson had pushed her buttons in that bed when he was trying to get the information from her but to his credit he had backed down before taking things too far. She'd return the favor and satisfy his curiosity into her going ons with Birkhoff. He would put ask Amanda in a way that wouldn't get Alicia into trouble; of this she was sure. While he may be an overly confident, cocky son of a bitch he was still uncharacteristically decent when it came to her.

Mind set on a course of action she returned to thinking only of practice, committing herself to Roan's instructions. Time passed quickly, so quickly that when the elevator chimed they both looked over as if broken from a spell. It was easy to fall into a steady rhythm with the cold composed Cleaner as company. When the doors opened to reveal Michael that peace was broken and they both straightened up, relaxing their weapons to hang near their side. His eyes took in the entire scene before striding forward with a broody look that bordered on angry. Alicia flashed a glance to Roan as he closed in on them.

As Michael met Roan's cool stare he was still mulling over the situation as a whole. It was going on midnight and Alicia was down on Sub Level _Twelve_ with _Roan_ of all people. When he'd told Percy she would like to train in knives as a specialization he had never once considered _he_ would be the instructor. _This just gets better and better_ he thought sourly, coming to a stop just before the two. The entire scene was awkward, and he tried to ignore the dislike in the Cleaner's cool eyes as he focused on Alicia instead. "I need to have a word with you," he said, tone as serious as ever. This time it wasn't an act.

Her eyes flickered to Roan once more before meeting him with a brief nod. "Of course," she responded easily, handing over the knife she held to Roan before striding to meet him. "Is there a problem Michael?" Alicia asked, her back now to the Cleaner who made himself busy a few feet away with the array of knives he had displayed on a metal table.

"There is," he turned his attention back to her, focusing on the task at hand, "and it has to do with you and Birkhoff."

She flashed one of her easy smiles, tilting her head the slightest bit as she looked up at him without fear. "Is this about the bet we made?" Alicia asked, getting straight to the point. He was somewhat surprised that she hadn't even tried to beat around the bush.

"If you're referring to the date you're over three hours late for," Michael intoned, "then _yes_; it is." He couldn't believe the _nerve _of her. Not for one second had he ever believed the young woman to be capable of something so cruel. She'd always come off as sweet and obedient. Alicia was known as Amanda's Pet, yes, but she was also known for her lighthearted attitude. He'd always believed it real, having met Alicia before Amanda had sunk her claws into her.

"I lost track of time," she muttered an excuse, "there's no clocks down here."

"This isn't about being late," he cut her off before she could mistake his reason for talking to her, "this is about what you're doing." Alicia's green eyes flickered up to meet his in question, and Michael returned it with a pointed glare. "I saw the video," he warned her, "and I think you know which one it is I'm talking about." The question in her eyes remained and he grimaced, giving her a more serious look. "You paid Birkhoff a _visit_ in the computer lab," Michael jogged her memory.

It worked, and of all things a sly smile slid onto her face. "So we're busted then?" she asked, giving a little shake of her head. "I knew it would work its way around eventually, I just didn't think it would be this fast," Alicia admitted without a shred of guilt.

Michael could hardly believe it. He knew that no one in Division was quite what they seemed but _her_? _She always seemed so nice_, he mused, thinking back to how she'd named her car. "Whatever it is you're doing you need to stop," he warned, "for both your sakes."

Even this didn't seem to faze her. That smile remained on her lips, only softening the slightest bit. "Amanda already approached us about this. As long as no one gets serious, which I assure you neither of us will, then there's no harm in it. We're both consenting adults," she shrugged, letting down her auburn waves from her pony tail.

Roan could hear everything from where he stood, and not a word of it surprised him. Unlike Michael he _had _been informed about Alicia's side mission with Amanda. Michael may be Percy's number two but Roan was his true right hand. When it came to getting things done _he_ was the man Percival Rose turned to. It was apparent that Michael was close to the man, or he wouldn't have sought out Alicia to warn her away. _Or he cares for her too_, he deduced, watching a little more closely.

"These types of things only ever end badly," Michael kept his voice lowered. There was definitely concern mixed in with his warnings, and Roan knew it had to do with the fact he was her handler. For once he vaguely understood why he would be watchful over this particular Agent. Alicia held remarkable potential. Roan only wished she wasn't in Amanda's hands.

"I'll keep that in mind," she gave in with a sigh, looking away. When she met his gaze Roan knew that she'd been aware of him listening. The emerald eyes held no worry at all, and it was as if the conversation hadn't just occurred. "Can you believe it's already midnight?" Alicia asked with a mystified expression, removing herself from the conversation smoothly.

"It's twelve forty-two," Roan responded with a glance down to his watch. He hadn't known that Alicia was supposed to be off on a tryst with Seymour Birkhoff when he'd allowed their practice to run over the scheduled time. _Three hours and forty-two minutes over,_ he continued to calculate. That meant the _over three hours late_ Michael was referring two had been spent training with him instead. He vaguely wondered if he had known she had a meeting scheduled with the man would he have let the practice carry over? Yes, he reasoned, he would have. Alicia made her own decisions and it didn't concern him.

She hated playing the naughty role at times like this, but it was too late for anything else. Now that Michael had seen the video he'd have certain expectations of her. It was clear he wasn't clued in on her side mission for Amanda. Alicia wasn't too surprised; she sensed Amanda and Michael got along just as poorly as she did with Birkhoff. "That's not so bad," she smiled as she returned her gaze to Michael, "I can fix this."

He flashed her a suspicious look. "How?"

"Easy: Delivery. Plenty of places deliver late," Alicia chose this moment to escape, striding casually away, picking up her jacket as she went, "I'll just have to invite him over." She slipped the black jacket on, zipping it up partway as she met Michael's gaze straight on. "After all," she continued with a daring smile, "I did give my word when I accepted the wager for dinner. Don't worry; I'll make sure he pays."

Before he could get in a word edgewise she strode straight into the elevator and deftly pushed the button. The doors closed, shutting out an incredulous and close to fuming Michael who stood rooted in spot. Alicia breathed in relief, pulling her phone from her pocket. She dialed Birkhoff's Division issued number and held her breath as she waited for him to answer. _I can't believe I missed our date_ she stewed, leaning her head up against the mirrored elevator wall. They'd both been looking forward to it and now it was ruined. Ordering in hardly made up for what she'd just taken out of the picture.

"About time you called," Birkhoff's voice answered just as she was worried about voicemail picking up instead.

She let out the breath she'd been holding, relaxing the slightest bit at his voice alone. "Yeah I know; I'm late. It wasn't intentional," Alicia responded as casually as she could, wishing she didn't have to play a role right now, "but I got held up in Sub Level Twelve."

There was a pause as he took in this information. Only then did she realize he might consider torture an option. She'd forgotten the stigma of it being the torture level. "What?" he asked slowly, almost hesitantly.

"Just knife play practice," she calmed his nerves, "and no, nothing went wrong. I did work up an appetite though. Come to my place; we can order in."

"Where are you?"

"The elevator," she answered simply before expanding, "on my way up from practice. I just finished."

"I'll meet you there," Birkhoff was quick to respond, "I was just on my way home. I was stuck helping Michael until a half hour ago."

This news surprised her, but she agreed nonetheless, hanging up the phone. _Was he trying to keep Birkhoff's mind off of me being late?_ She couldn't help but wonder of Michael. It seemed to be true. Oddly enough she was thankful for his interference; now she wouldn't feel quite as terrible about being so late. Of course it really _was_ all her fault, but that didn't matter. Alicia was confident she could make up for it.

When they were safe and sound back at her place she didn't hesitate to latch on to the front of his sweatshirt. Giving a pull she lowered his lips to hers and kissed him, wanting to close the distance she'd had from him the past twelve days. Finally she was back in his arms, out of camera view and façade free. The feeling of his arms pulling her against him, how she was just small enough to fit perfectly into his hold, made her feel completely at home.

Birkhoff pulled back, breaking to smile down at her. "I missed that," he breathed before kissing her once more only to pull away again. "I also missed you at nine," he added, reading her wide emerald eyes as she gazed up at him.

"I was practicing with Roan," she admitted, "and lost track of time. It didn't occur to me until Michael came down and-"

"Mikey talked to you?" he interrupted, already accepting her excuse. There'd be more opportunities to take her out. Having been in Division for as long as he had it was nothing new for plans to be delayed.

"Yeah," Alicia nodded and eased out of his hold. "He was looking out for you," she added, examining him in turn, "and warned me it was dangerous."

Birkhoff couldn't help but groan, running his fingers through his hair. "He gave me the same speech. The last thing we need right now his him digging around. We already have boy wonder to worry about," he grumbled, wishing things weren't so damn complicated.

"About Samson," she spoke up, rubbing the back of her neck as she stretched out her shoulders, "I had an idea. I'm going to tell him to bring his concerns to Amanda. She'll either tell him about my mission or she won't, but I'm figuring she will. He'll back off. If I know Samson at all he'll be more than happy to go along with it and stop digging if he thinks it'll hurt you in some way."

While he'd been listening, Birkhoff had realized for the first time she was still in training clothes. While the form fitting black yoga pants and grey cross back cami were flattering he didn't doubt she wanted to change. His eyes danced over her a moment before returning to hers. "I'll order and you get changed," he instructed, opting _not_ to talk about anything Division related for the rest of the night. Instead he shot her a mischievous look and there was no more that needed to be said; she understood his mood entirely.

As she took a quick shower and changed into a pair of silk pajama pants and a matching v neck cami Birkhoff was ordering food and trying to decide what movie they would watch. He was determined that no matter what she came out wearing he would control himself. Tonight they'd be a real couple. They would eat in and enjoy a movie together. His laptop was safely tucked away in its case and that was where it would stay. It would be just the two of them enjoying a casual night in and he had the feeling that was _exactly_ what Alicia needed most right now.

He needed it too, and when she did come out to join him on the couch he wasted no time in pulling her into his side. It was easy to get comfortable and they settled in, sharing in each other's warmth as he turned on the television with a click of the button. "I have a couple choices for you here," Birkhoff offered, happy that she didn't mind dropping the subject. His arm wrapped around her, chin resting on her head as she leaned it against him to peer up at the list he was slowly scrolling through.

"Stop," she murmured and he obeyed, lingering over a title, "how about that one?"

"Day Watch; my girl has good tastes," he grinned, lips moving against hair. He could almost imagine tasting the light citrus fragrance of her shampoo it seemed so close. "Better yet your television just _happens_ to be 3D capable," his grin took the form of a smirk, "so you're in for a treat sweetheart."

She smiled into the green shirt he wore, tracing her fingers over the pattern of the pacman trail that ran across it in black lines. It seemed like forever since she'd been able to relax in his hold and the best part was there'd been no need to hide it. Even their trackers that displayed they were together in her apartment posed no danger to them. For once they could relax and she had a feeling Amanda would make sure Birkhoff wasn't bothered for as long as he was with her. At least not until it was necessary. "Thank you," she breathed into his chest, pausing the progress of her fingers to flatten her hand out on his chest. She pushed off a little to look up at him, noting the absence of glasses as she stared into his navy eyes. "For understanding my job, for not getting upset that I ruined tonight," Alicia paused, taking giving a little smile, "for everything really."

At her words Birkhoff couldn't help but blush and avert his eyes for a moment. She granted him mercy and kept her smile small, the twinkle in her eyes the only thing that would give away how adorable he was. It was a Seymour that only she saw, and she loved every second of it. It was hard to explain what exactly it was about him that did her in so completely, but every little moment certainly did add up. He cleared his throat before deciding which part to reply on. "Tonight's not ruined," he went the safe route, "it's just rearranged. I don't know about you dollface, but I'm due for a good night in."

The smile he gave her tempted a kiss out of her, and after placing it on his lips a buzz sounded at the front of the apartment. They pulled apart, both looking in the direction of the illuminated box near the elevator doors. It cast an eerie glow across the kitchen and towards the far window. They were both thankful to be out of its watchful gaze. Not needing to say a word Alicia shifted and Birkhoff got to his feet, digging his wallet from the jeans he wore. She watched him walk up to the monitor, settling back onto the couch with a smile on her face as he started to talk to the man. Amanda was right; this was her home now. Things felt so right with Birkhoff there, and she hoped her little scheme for Amanda would allow him to be over this freely more often.

They'd already worked out what she'd tell Amanda she'd gained from the night together. _Birkhoff hasn't retired his ShadowWalker alias, he's leaving his tag for anyone who can dig deep enough to find._ That was what she'd give her. Just a big enough tidbit to show she was breaking through to him. Alicia and Birkhoff had planned it out step by step. What they didn't cover she filled in herself, details were something she specialized in when it came to building covers. That's all it was; yet another mask she had to wear. If she hadn't been playing make believe for so long it would have been easy to lose track.

But now, as she and Birkhoff ate together and cuddled up to watch the movie she didn't have to pretend. She curled into his side, enjoying the feeling of his arm holding her close. For once she felt completely and utterly safe. It made all of the risks she was taking oh so worth it. Alicia had gone so far as to befriend Micah, having him guarding her door while she napped. In reality she had Birkhoff freeze the cameras on her laying form so they could sneak in a conversation on **ShadowStalker**. Flying under the radar had become second nature for her at that point.

"I hope they don't send me away again," she sighed as the end credits rolled, saying what she could feel he'd been thinking as well.

"There's no more trips on your card anytime soon," Birkhoff was quick to try and quell her concern. "I checked our roster and it looks like we have clean battles lined up," he couldn't help but share, "so it should be smooth sailing for the next few months."

"Unless something pops up," Alicia felt the need to point out the truth.

He moved, turning her in his arms to look down at her. "That won't happen," he sounded determined, but only looked half convinced.

"You'll jinx us," she warned, lightening the mood with a smile.

Birkhoff took her in, tightening the arm he had around her slender waist to pull her closer. He couldn't tell her that he'd missed her all week and had nearly gone crazy sitting on his hands back in Division. The place felt so empty without her, and it was almost scary how attached he'd gotten to her. It seemed like just yesterday she was in a yellow dress, prominent on his screen as he made small talk to calm her nerves. Even then she'd had him; he just hadn't known it yet. What he did know, however, was that Alicia was back home in once piece and in _his_ arms. "How about we play a game," he suggested, pressing his nose to hers, "first person to talk about anything related to the-place-that-shall-not be-named loses."

He watched as understanding set in and she gave a little nod, drawing her head back. For a moment Alicia was silent and a terrible thought occurred to Birkhoff. _What if there isn't anything else to talk about? _She was quick to dash that, a smile coming onto her face as she rested her head back up against his chest. "I've read about Shadow Walker in your file, but we've never actually talked about it. Is that off limits?" she asked casually, as though it'd been on her mind for a while.

Glad that she couldn't see her face, Birkhoff's initial reaction had been a smug expression. He smothered it, trying to straighten his face to a more casual one before clearing his throat. "Uh, no it's not," he threw in a shrug for good measure. No one _ever_ asked him about his former glory days, and when he talked about it on his own no one cared. They'd already gone over what she'd be telling Amanda, and so he knew this had nothing to do with the dreaded D word.

"When did you become him?" Alicia asked, not exactly sure how to word the questions. Was she supposed to refer to Shadow Walker as him, or was that a separate part of his life all together? She knew that he still held on to the glory he associated with the name, but it didn't make finding out any easier.

Luckily it seemed Birkhoff cared more about the topic then how it was worded. She could already feel his arm shifting its hold on her as he got ready to talk. "It may surprise you to learn I was never a pillar of the community," he started off with a little laugh, "but I wasn'twas never built to be a masked crusader either. Twelve with a love for justice is normal for most kids, but put a computer in front of little me and it's a whole different story."

"You started at twelve? That's crazy," she breathed in awe, more startled to learn this news didn't actually surprise her like it may once have. Alicia knew just how skilled he was, but now she was more curious than ever. "How did you know what you were doing? I was still on type to learn at that age," she added, smiling against his chest. School had always been one of the few things she looked forward to when it came to her old life.

"Some things just click," he shrugged, playing down how amazing it actually was, "and for me that was at the ripe age of twelve."

"So no one taught you?"

Birkhoff was glad she hadn't pulled away to look up at him. He wasn't sure what type of an expression to make; he was torn. On one hand he wanted to use the opportunity to brag, but on the other he wanted to see where her line of questioning was going to lead. The only danger was things getting too personal, and he wasn't sure if he was ready for that just yet. There were things he'd hidden from everyone, even Amanda had never gotten him to talk about them, and they were all that was left of real Seymour Birkhoff. Division already owned his life,everything else but he wouldn't let them get their hands on his past too.

She'd sensed his sudden apprehension to the topic and while she couldn't understand it, she accepted it. "I'm jealous; I wish I was a computer whisperer. It would make everything so much easier," Alicia stated instead. At her words she could feel him relax the slightest bit, and it was difficult not to cuddle into his side. Sometimes Seymour was just so _cute_. The way he responded to everything so openly was refreshing in a world of calculated killers. "Were you ever tempted to evil?" she teased, unable to help herself. Behind the lighthearted question was an answer she was interested in receiving.

"I'm no boyscout sweetheart," he laughed, his chest rumbling at the idea of it, "I had my moments. There are some men out there with a few less zeros in their bank accounts than they'll ever be happy with."

"But only corporation men," she pointed out, having read through his file, "that's hardly innocent bystanders."

Birkhoff looked down into her upturned eyes, his brows rising as he met her challenging smile. "Oh no, they all had it coming. Depending on what side of the law you're on I'm either a menace or a prodigy. Either way I was leaving my mark and bothering people who deserved it."

Alicia read his face for a second, trying to understand him better. Even with his important standing in Division, a top secret Black Ops group that was run by the government, he still missed being a hacker. She was ecstatic to be doing something that mattered, regardless of the fact she didn't even exist to take the credit for it. _But then again_ she realized with a small smile _we've lead two very different lives._ "Do you think you can tell me sometime, about some of the attacks you made?" she chanced to ask, a little surprised at herself. It seemed like just yesterday she was discouraging Samson from digging into her past and now she was digging into Birkhoff's.

It took her a second to realize the out of place comparison in her mind. Once more Samson had invaded her thoughts. She pushed it away for later, focusing instead on the navy eyes that were glittering a short distance from her own. "I could," he nodded, tilting his head the slightest bit, "_or_ you I could just have you help during my next one."

His eyes said it all, and she shared in his devious smile. "So youYou really _do_ still do it," Alicia had suspected as much, but he'd just confirmed it.

"Rarely," he admitted, "and nothing like I used to. Shadow Walker is supposed to be gone."

In the moment of silence that followed and he looked away, running his hand nervously through hair, she realized that he missed it. _What do I do?_ It took her a few moments of wonder and staring at him to decide. It wasn't that she didn't know how to distract him; she knew every trick in the book. While she owed the perfection of her art to Division and Amanda's _Situations_; she had been doing it for years. Those six years were spent winning person after person over. She'd moved every week or so of those six years, changing to fit in each and every time. The problem was one she hadn't been faced with before. For the first time Alicia didn't know what _she_ should do. Her time with Birkhoff was supposed to be mask free.

"Shadow Walker is right here," her words found themselves, and she snuggled into him, resting her head back on his chest. The warmth radiated into her, and she closed her eyes regardless of the fact she could no longer see his. She had the sinking worry that if she looked into his eyes she'd only be tempted to read the situation again. "Who else," Alicia continued, "would have the kahunas to have a relationship right under everyone's noses?"

"You," he pointed out after pausing to consider her words.

"Only because I'm confident in my computer genius boyfriend who is covering our tracks," she shot back with a smile, speaking her mind. The words felt immature, and if anyone overheard they'd judge it absolute crazy talk; but it was true. Birkhoff took this opportunity to kiss her, his hands going up to her face. With thumbs on her temples and fingers burrowed in her loose hair he held her face tilted up as he kissed her. When he pulled away to rest his forehead against hers, grinning down at her, she knew when to drop a subject. "Sometimes I wish I was a mind reader, I think I'd have cool control over it," Alicia changed subjects to the movie. _Safe territory_ she judged.

"You'd be a bamf with it," Birkhoff agreed, liking the mental image he was getting of Alicia fighting in almost slow mo as she read her opponents actions ahead of time. She was already graceful, but throw in the special effects of the movie and his mind was having a field day with it.

"Shadow Walker and Agent Alicia would make a pretty good team," she openly schemed with him. It was moments like these that he loved most. Even being the stone cold fox, and killer, that she was; Alicia remained light at heart.

Liking that she chose his alias as his name he nodded in agreement. "You'd be Agent Ophain," he corrected her, wanting to stay accurate to the movie using last names. She looked momentarily surprised he'd remembered something as insignificant as the last name that marked her tombstone, and Birkhoff just grinned playfully. "That's actually better. Makes you sound more dangerous."

She gave a little laugh, shaking her head in amusement as he lowered his hands back to her sides. "A mind reader and a tech expert, we'd be a perfect two man team," Alicia humored the idea.

"You'd need backup," he hated to admit, "just in case. It takes three to get the best results."

She thought about it for a second before shrugging. "So; we'll get Michael. You've worked with him before and he seems a push away from vigilante," Alicia surprised him by explaining it as though it were just plain logic.

Birkhoff blinked, a little worried about how true that might be. Nikita was gone, but he knew it wasn't forever. _If I know Nikki _and he knew that he did _she'll pop up with a vengeance. _He worried about the state of things when that happened. _Will Alicia be removed from herthe side mission for dragon lady? She'll have to; I can't be questioned anymore. _Birkhoff worried away, too lost in his thoughts to realize she was examining his face. His eyes were closed, head tilted back as he exhaled a breath and continued on with his inner thoughts. _Will we have to go back to relying on remaining completely under the radar in order to see each other?_ He'd never wished that Nikki would remain far _far_ away more than he did at that moment. It was for her own sake, yes, but now it was for his as well.

The only thing that brought him back to planet earth was the sensation of her sliding out of his lax hold. He peeked open his eyes, one after another, watching as she got to her feet and stretched, tousling her hair with one hand. "Well _Shadow Walker_, I don't know about you," Alicia purred, "but Agent Ophain is about to retire for the night." She shot him a smile, and Birkhoff leaned forward to watch her disappear into the bedroom. His eyes lingered on the doorframe, absentmindedly sweeping up the remote to turn off the television as he smirked. He didn't need to be a mind reader to know what that look had meant.


	19. Into the Dark

_Looooooong chapter for you guys this time! I'm really interested to hear your opinion on this one in particular, so any and all feedback is appreciated! Also, if you haven't already give the Charter Intro video a look! It's mighty awesome if I do say so myself. Just youtube "Lesson One Character Intros" and it should come right up!_

_Much love - Jade_

* * *

Alicia pressed her back against the wall, the Baretta 92FS feeling heavy as she held it to her chest. Adrenaline had yet to kick in as she turned her eyes to Samson who was in a similar pose behind the doorframe opposite her. "Okay, I'm getting seven heat signatures behind that door," Birkhoff's voice filled her ear. She read the hazel eyes that stared back at her as she waited for any more intel. "Looks like you'll have to find another way in," he sighed, having nothing more to offer, "because I don't know what lies behind door number one any more than you do."

While it was merely a speedbump Alicia didn't like the setback. She saw the same in her partner's eyes and made a decision she hoped she wouldn't regret. "We're going in," she gave a brief nod to Samson before turning her eyes towards the door.

Not questioning her he followed suit, getting ready to turn the knob with his left hand as he posed to make his move. "I take left you take right?" Samson breathed, flashing her a look to confirm.

She didn't need to say a word, and he turned his eyes back to the door, muscles tensed and at the ready. "Two. . . one. . . go," she counted down softly before they both sprung into action. Everything was a blur of black for a moment as she burst through the door in tune with Samson, her gun going off a second before his as they both dropped behind a crate for cover. The sound of bullets rang out followed by shouts, the sound echoing in the storage room they'd already left a path of bodies behind to get to. Alicia moved to a crouch, eyes shifting over to Samson at her side. He wore the same black Division field wear as her, and she was glad to see neither one of them had taken any damage so far. Bullet proof vest or not; taking a shot was painful.

"Looks like you got two," Birkhoff observed from back in Operations, unaware of Alicia peeking around the corner with a first person view of the scene.

Slowly, she rose to her feet keeping in a crouch to stay hidden behind the stacks of black boxes. With her height it was an easy task and she flashed a look down to Samson as a plan formed. "I'll creep around the left," she whispered without any fear of being heard over the angry slur of Russian coming from the other end of the warehouse. While they both knew everything that was being said they shut it out, focusing instead on the task at hand.

He smiled up at his partner, liking her shoot first attitude. There was never a time he had to worry about Alicia going soft and growing a conscious on her. That was something he'd always admired. _She's tough_ Samson felt no shame in admitting as he sized her up. "I'll run distraction," he responded, putting two and two together quickly. She took off down the line of boxes without another word. There was no reason to work out a sign, and he smiled as he watched her disappear from view. It was missions like these that he had nothing but respect for Alicia. When it came down to business she was a force to be reckoned with. Better yet; they were a team.

Samson gave up his position behind the boxes, getting to his feet and clearing the tops of them with ease as he aimed his gun. The kickback of his pistol had no affect on accuracy in his trained hands, and he got off two rounds with deadly precision. A smile crept onto his face as the sound of two separate shots followed and the man his sights had just turned to fell sideways from the blast. Striding forward, Samson had no fear as Alicia put down the last man with a double tap to the heart before turning to watch him approach. "Kruikov's nephew," she noted, nudging the body with the toe of her shoe, "looks like we're close."

"Six signatures in the next room," the Head Technician's voice came once more, "and one of them is our guy. So if you see him don't be shooting him; _capisce_?"

Taking note of the body count, but choosing to ignore the rest, Samson focused on Alicia. "It's a little too quiet don't you think?"

She paused, listening to the silence a second, before turning her eyes towards the door on the far wall. "Calm before the storm," she agreed, falling into step beside him as they crept forward. They kept their guns drawn and steps light, every nerve alert as they approached the doors. All it took was a glance to confirm the same rules applied as last time and they took their positions at the door. They couldn't risk any sound, and she mouthed the countdown instead.

Adrenaline finally pumping everything seemed to slow down as the door broke under Samson's forceful kick. She watched the wood break and splinter, moving for cover as gunfire sounded before either of them had the chance to make use of the opening. She fell to the safety of the doorframes, thankful for the concrete building as it absorbed bullets meant for her. With her back against the cold she closed her eyes, the ringing in her ears starting to get to her. _They have firepower_ Alicia took a deep breath to steady herself _duly noted. _After a moment the fire ceased, and she looked down at the gun she held ready at her chest. Taking a calming breath she looked to the smoking frame of the doorway.

There wasn't time to waste and so she moved, trusting Samson to follow her lead. This time she ducked and rolled as she moved through the door at lightening fast speed, getting off a random burst of fire from her gun as she managed to direct herself to the conference table. She recognized the sound of her partner's firearm along with a mix of two others, barely managing to flip the table as a means for cover. For once she was thankful of rich mob bosses having dismal taste, as the sound of bullets embedding in the metal made her heartbeat race. All she had to do was turn her head and she could see the marks where the bullets had hit on the other side, and she was thankful her quick thinking courtesy of Division.

Alicia had time only to exhale before she was peeking her gun out from cover, firing in the direction of the shots she'd heard moments ago. From the corner of her eye she could see Samson discharging his weapon from the door way, being forced to retreat seconds before she had to do the same. With nimble fingers she reloaded her gun, glancing up as he fired off the final five shots in his chamber as she did so.

"What did you just do?" Birkhoff startled voice came. He paused as the sound of Alicia firing a few more shots around the table took precedence on the com. "Kruikov plus one just disappeared," he sounded confused at the unexpected development, "and I still have four bad guys alive and kicking; am I seeing this wrong?"

Samson couldn't confirm nor deny the status inside the room, and he knew that neither could Alicia. Deciding it was best to handle the immediate threat first he peeked around the corner, ducking back as shots flew past him. His eyes connected with Alicia's, seeing her trapped behind the metal table. He had no more bullets and without an extra gun for backup she was a sitting duck. Understanding passed between them and she slid her gun across the floor without hesitation. It spiraled once, twice, from the force of her push before he snatched it from the ground. With one hand firing off shots as a distraction he slid his gun towards her; she had the ammunition.

Gun loaded and sitting pretty in her hands she looked to Samson once more, this time perched and ready for action. With his fingers he directed her positioning and she popped up to fire with a cool composure. The exchange of fire, the flashes of bullets first leaving the barrel and the speed of the moment thrilled Alicia. Every shot from her gun was backed with the training granted to her by Division. As her heartbeat raced she followed out the orders she'd been given; capture Kruikov and exterminate the rest with extreme prejudice. She was aware of Samson joining her, and she was conscious of the bullets hitting their targets as two of the men she aimed for fell in succession, but she wasn't really _there_.

It was on Operations like this that she was able to bring out the Alicia that Amanda was so proud of. She was on a mission and would do whatever it took to achieve what she'd been sent to do; no matter what it took. When the last two bodies hit the floor she stepped from around the table with a cold calculating gait to her step. She fired off the last bullet in her chamber down into the dead gunman nearest her before once more reloading the weapon in her possession with ease. Samson followed her lead, dispensing his final two shots into two seprate bodies and exchanging guns with her once more. As he set the gun in her hand he flashed her a sly smile.

The moment was broken as gurgle of a cough sounded from behind them and she turned, looking over her shoulder to the slumped body of the man. "I think we just caught a break," Alicia couldn't help but mutter her hope out loud as she stepped over a body to approach him. Squatting, she knocked away the man's fallen gun before squatting beside him. Peering down at him she reloaded her weapon, never breaking eye contact with the blue ones that stared up at her. "_Ваш босс куда он делся?_" she asked the man in flawless Russian. **Your boss; where did he go?** It was a simple question really.

The man's eyes narrowed, and he spat out a violent phrase in Russian only to follow it with, "_filthy_ _American whore_."

Alicia tsked her teeth before flashing a look over her shoulder to Samson to meet his amused gaze. "Now that's just rude," she sighed, returning her eyes to the man. Shifting forward she set one gloved hand on her knee, the other prodding the gun forward. As the barrel pushed at the center of the bloody mass Alicia knew was a bullet wound, he let out a strangled sound of pain. She held the gun there, lowering herself to be on eye level with the man as he slumped further down and coughed in pain. "You're already going to die for your boss," her tone was soft and sweet as she regarded him, "but how much pain you endure until then is entirely up to you."

Samson watched the exchange of words, of threats even, as Alicia handled the man. It came as no surprise to him when she rose to her feet and fired a single bullet into the gunman before turning to him. "There's a tunnel that leads underground," she declared calmly, her eyes shifting over to the book case.

"That's why I lost them," Birkhoff explained, "I can't get a heat read in an escape tunnel. Would kind of defeat the purpose."

A look passed between Samson and Alicia, and a little challenge played across his lips in the form of a smile. "Wouldn't be the first time we went in blind," he was happy to encourage what he knew she was already thinking.

"I can look for exits-"

"In the time it takes to find out where that hatch opens we might lose him," Alicia hated to cut Birkhoff off but she had to. When it came to the field sometimes a decision had to be made and she knew in her gut this was the right call. Failure was not an option.

In his ear she could hear the familiar grumble of his frustrated groan. "You know I'll lose contact with you if it goes more than thirty feet down," he tried to be the voice of reason.

While she pitied Birkhoff, Alicia had already made up her mind. All it took was one look and she had her gun raised, ready for Samson to push the book case out of the way. "He already has a seven minute lead," her tone was one that made it clear the decision was already made.

Back in the lab Birkhoff grimaced, leaning back in his seat as he stared at the screen. As much as he loved having a kick ass girlfriend, sometimes he wished her job wasn't so dangerous. He didn't get it. He dealt with gunfire every day for the past how many years yet when he knew Alicia was on one end of it was different. There was a twist in his gut and he'd noticed his palms had the annoying habit of sweating when things got heated. The last thing he wanted was her alone on an Operation with Samson yet _again._ While he'd like the cocky agent off of their team he didn't want her alone. Sipping on his energy drink and watching the progress of their trackers seemed to be the only use for him, so it was what he did. Never mind the worry he felt for Alicia; he was just as tense about the overall success of the mission.

Book case pushed aside, any imminent threat of a firefight faded from Alicia's nerves as she stared into the darkness before her. Everything was silent as she shifted her gaze to Samson who was focused intently on the opening in the wall. "I think it's clear," she chanced saying the words out loud as though to test them. Again only silence met the Agents' ears and she lowered her gun the slightest bit as she strode forward.

Samson stood watch as she touched the edge of the darkness, her hand breaking through to feel along the walls. "No lights?" he guessed halfheartedly when she drew back with a blank expression.

"Doesn't look that way," she confirmed, easing her weapon down to a resting position. With her eyes locked on the staircase that faded into nothingness she evaluated the situation. "The light's gone right along with Kruikov and his man."

"Or men," Birkhoff pitched in over the com, "two may have goon _poof_ but that doesn't mean more aren't hiding."

She didn't feel the need to point out that he wasn't helping. "There's only one way to find out," her eyes met the hazel ones regarding her to see that he felt the same.

"Keep the light but don't turn it on," Samson warned, temporarily stowing his gun to withdraw his penlight. Looks were deceiving, and she knew the small black metal device offered more than enough light for the both of them as he handed it over to her. "The head start should have made them comfortable by now. If we go in dark chances are high we'll catch them off guard," his tone was all business.

Starting down the steep cement steps there was no one he'd rather have at his side then Alicia. Stealth was one of her strong suits, and after just a few steps he marveled at how light of a footfall she had. It was like she was walking on air; not down into cold damp set of underground tunnels. A combination of her warmth and the general tight quarters they were forced into as the stairwell narrowed made his senses run on overdrive. He could feel her at his side, and every time the black material of their jackets brushed Samson had to fight the urge to slip his arm around her. Unable to see more than a few inches in front of him, he figured he'd feel a lot less on edge without the possibility of losing her.

Already their coms had begun to crackle, and he chanced a glance at her from the corner of his eye as they worked their way to the bottom step. With every step the static in their ears grew as visibility lesson, and yet Alicia looked as calm and unfazed as ever. Emerald eyes were alert as they scanned the area in front of them, flashlight in hand and sidearm returned to its holster. Samson's weapon was out, his fingers safely curled around the grip with his index resting on the trigger guard. In the narrow tunnels there would be nowhere for them to hide, but it was equally true of anyone they ran across.

They moved at a steady pace, step after step downwards. With their eyes adjusting to the darkness there was no room for error. There was no telling how steep of a stairwell they occupied and a fall could very likely mean an injury or worse; death. All it would take is a broken neck and no amount of special training could help them overcome it. Even for the trained elite of Division there was such a thing as fatal accidents. Of all the obstacles in their way the toughest hurdle came as Birkhoff's voice floated into their ears carried on a broken transmission.

"Trackers just went offline," his voice was anything but reassuring, "any further and coms go too."

Alicia stopped dead in her tracks, one hand darting out to touch the wall her shoulder was millimeters from rubbing up against. "This cement must be a few feet thick," she noted, eyeing the grey slab that stretched out before her. Withdrawing her hand from the wall she lifted it to her lips, gripping the tip of the glove on her middle finger between her teeth. Biting down gently, she held the glove in place as she withdrew her hand from its leather folds. As she set her bare hand back against the cement she could feel Samson's eyes on her. "It's cold," she observed softly, tucking the glove into her jacket pocket with her free hand, "and damp."

"Should help muffle the sound," Samson agreed from beside her, having stopped in tune with his partner. He reached around with his free hand, rapping his knuckles on the cement beside her hand. Other than a faint thudding sound all was quiet, and when they listening for the echo that should have carried it away there was none.

With her partner looming close behind her, Alicia felt trapped in the small space momentarily. Her eyes locked onto the gloved fist that rested beside the bare skin of her hand. Diving into the darkness that loomed ahead required trusting her partner. _I trust his training_ she assured herself confidently, shifting her eyes instead to the eroded texture of the wall she examined it closer. "Definite signs of ageing. Whatever this is it's been here a long time," she added, meeting Samson's gaze with a look over her shoulder. The fact he could make out his gaze was on her meant her eyes were indeed slowly adjusting.

"There's nothing on a creepy underground tunnel in the archive," Birkhoff's voice grumbled from over the line.

Samson had turned his eyes towards the bottom of the stairs, and for a moment Alicia watched as he squinted. "It's not a tunnel," he said slowly, and she found her eyes drawn towards the darkness they were headed into, "I think it's part of a network."

It took her a moment to realize what he was seeing in front of them before she realized that he wasn't seeing anything; it was a dead end. Instead of the straight path she'd assumed they'd started down it appeared this was not the case. The steps came to an end a few yards before them, leaving only the option of heading down the leftmost tunnel or taking the right. Forward no longer an option, Alicia was forced to reconsider the plan of attack. "Birkhoff, think you can do a little digging?" she asked, staring at the problem that lay ahead. _Why couldn't he be Point on missions like this?_ She wondered of her partner. It was a question she would have to pick Seymour's brain for later. _Amanda's scheme aside, there must be some method of determining which Operations I'm Lead on._

"For you? Always. What exactly am I looking for?" his voice calmed her nerves the slightest bit.

Alicia tried to focus on the fact Birkhoff was with her- at least for the moment. Did she trust Samson's training? Yes. Did she trust the man himself? Her eyes flickered over to him for a second to see he was already staring in her direction. Eyesight having adjusted to the darkness, it was hard to tell _what_ he was looking at with how dilated his pupils were. When his lips lifted up into a smirk she realized she'd held his gaze for too long. "Anything you can find about the history of the land," she returned Samson's smile easily, never breaking eye contact as she spoke softly for the earbud to pick up on.

He scanned her face, wondering when he'd succeed in making her squirm. Lately the only game he was interested in was breaking down her walls. Every chance he got he would file away information about her, strengthening their fluidity as a team as well as furthering his personal agenda. "Well the land was a _quaint _little town once by the looks of it. Cue a mysterious fire and farmers with torches take over the land. After that corn," as Birkhoff talked Samson watched Alicia in wait of her next move, "years and years of corn."

"And that's it?" she sounded doubtful, though her face remained relaxed.

"Kruikov popped up ten years ago, but none of the satellite images I've pulled up show the type of excavation you're talking about," he filled her in, raking his hands through his hair. Sometimes no matter how prepared they were for an Operation things stopped going according to plans. _If it were Micheal and Nikki down there_ he thought back to his old team _he would have blamed the blazing guns approached and she would have stormed off down the tunnel anyways._ For the first time it seemed like Samson and Alicia's weird _comfort_ with each other was actually useful.

The other two members of his team were still halted on the stairwell; just within the ranges of their coms. He knew that Alicia was thinking, and he waited to hear what she'd suggest next. To her Division was a new life; she wasn't about to throw it away. While Nikita had been a force of nature, she'd always had a sort of reckless abandon about her methods. Pair that with her compassion for the targets and every mission was a stressful success. Alicia's devotion to the Operation was a source of relief for Birkhoff, and he was oh-so grateful for it.

"You said there was a town here," at her voice his fingers were at the keys, "can you give me any details about it? What would have been where the stairs are now?"

Birkhoff typed away, focusing on the screen as he dug deeper. Details were his forte. "Holy slavery staircase," what he found made him gave a dark chuckle, "I think you just stumbled into an old slave tunnel."

"Slave tunnel?" Samson's voice returned, sounding flat and cynical. "As in underground railroad?"

"_No_," his lips pinched together for a second, "as in a tunnel that would take a well to do slave trader to where he kept the livestock. Out of sight out of mind meant underground apparently." Birkhoff was already pulling up the file he needed with a dry smile. At least _that_ had shut the obnoxious third wheel up.

"We can go Northeast or we can go Southwest," Alicia was planning out loud now. Birkhoff listened, waiting for inspiration to hit. When it came to digging there was a catch 22: To find details you need details. Without knowing what he was looking for, there was no way for him to find it. _He's a computer genius after all; not a wizard. _

Samson was the first to speak up after a moment of silence. She tucked the compass back into its pouch, looking over at him as he withdrew his fist from the wall. "This is just an adjoining tunnel, so I take it there was an estate here. Find the town map and tell me what would be in those directions," he requested of their tech expert. There wasn't even a twinge on animosity in his voice: he was in his serious mode once more.

Alicia flexed her hand, trying not to stare at Samson as he talked to Birkhoff via his earpiece. It was awkward in the tight confines of the stairwell and she was thankful that Samson had decided to back off of her as he directed the Head Tech on where to look. She had to admit she was a little surprised at how informed he seemed to be on the topic. There wasn't a time she could remember where he had been the one to have an idea on what they needed to complete the mission. He wasn't dim; she was usually the one doing the guiding. Michael had paired the two up for training so she could keep him on track. She'd known it then just like she knew it was why he'd supported them forming a team.

When his leads led to Birkhoff sighing she knew that he'd found something. "Well if your right on where the exits are then he'll either be popping up in a corn field or back at his headquarters," his voice was carried on a wave of static as the coms faded in and out.

"He'll be going to where the guns are," Alicia jumped into the conversation, "so that's where we have to go."

"Which direction?" Samson asked, nodding in agreement.

"That would be southwest."

"Right it is then," she acknowledged, shifting the flashlight she held to her ungloved hand. The black leather confined her movement, but she didn't want to remove both of the gloves. This Operation called for her make use of a firearm; not her ever developing skills with a blade. Nevertheless she had the ceramic gift of death from Roan strapped to her thigh just below where the pouches on her combat utility belt came to an end. It was lightweight, containing a few field supplies along with extra ammunition, and posed no threat of restricting her fighting abilities. In a swift move she pulled out a clip before handing it to Samson- just in case he ran out again. She imagined they'd pick up a semi-automatic along the way, bad guys just loved those, but one never really knew when it came to the field.

Samson met her eyes, tucking the ammunition into his pocket. "Ready?"

She nodded, turning her eyes to the remaining stairs ahead of them. The darkness had subsided, and she could see a few feet before things became impossible to make out. "Looks like its go time for the Go Team," Alicia smiled as she said it, starting down the steps without any further ado.

By the time Samson fell in step with her a few seconds later the hum of dead air buzzed from their ear pieces. It would have been hard to say goodbye, and knowing that Birkhoff couldn't be sentimental and tell her to be careful had made her decide to jump into action. Even so it stung a bit when she realized he really was gone. They may not have been allowed to talk freely on the Division line, especially with Samson right beside her, but at least she was able to hear his voice. Something about knowing he was watching over her was calming. Some may call it stalking but in a world of lies, spies and ever watching eyes it was reassuring to know at least one person had her best interests at heart.

The feeling of Samson's eyes on her made her turn her head slowly, shooting him a sidelong glance. His amused expression threw her off guard, and she couldn't place what he found funny about being thirty feet underground in an old slave tunnel with no connection to the outside world. "The Go Team?" her partner questioned as he raised his pistol to a ready position.

"It's what the recruits are calling us," she informed him, realizing for the first time that he wasn't aware of their nickname. Why would he be? Neither she, nor Birkhoff, had any reason to make that sort of small talk with him.

While he returned his eyes forward, a smile remained on his face. "That's kind of cheesy, wouldn't you say?" he asked, his low voice twinged with amusement.

"I like it," she shrugged, half expecting him to laugh at her.

"You would," he muttered with a shake of his head, but that smile still remained.

They'd reached the end of the stairs, turning to start down the tunnel to the right. All that loomed in front of them was darkness but they pushed on nonetheless. Flashlight off and hanging at her side, Alicia gripped her gun and drew it as they moved at a steady pace down the hallway. A sound had alerted her nerves, and in perfect unison the pair pointed their firearms in the direction of the scuttle. "Rats," she breathed, realizing at the same time as Samson what had gotten their attention, "just great."

"It's a good sign," he commented, relaxing his pistol once more, "it means there's activity down here."

"And that's good?" she didn't bother to refrain from asking, making note of the sound of scuttling so it wouldn't surprise her again.

"They have to get in and out of here somehow. Probably live off of the corn," he noted, "judging by how big they are."

"You sure know a lot about rats," Alicia mumbled. Moments after it left her lips she realized how sarcastic it had sounded, and her eyes flickered over to her partner. In the increasing darkness of the tunnel all she could make out was his shape beside her.

She couldn't tell if she offended him, and turned her eyes forward though it did her little good. A silence had fallen between them and Alicia opted not to break it. It carried all the way until the first break in the wall showed. They approached it silently, guns at drawn as they popped around the corner in preparation. "Looks like the geek was right," Samson commented, stopping a few steps into what appeared to be a 6 by 6 room. He turned to face Alicia, once more lowering his Baretta. "There used to be bars there," he motioned towards the doorway they'd come through, "and there's a grate here. We must have reached where he kept the slaves."

Alicia didn't question him this time; he appeared to know what he was talking about. The tone of his voice was enough of a sign that he wasn't guessing. They withdrew from the room, continuing down the hallway. In their ears the hum of dead air morphed into static, and Samson was the first to reach up and turn off his com. Hesitating only for a second, Alicia did the same. While she wanted to know when the she was back in Birkhoff's cyber gaze, she couldn't risk the interference. With little to go by in terms of vision she had to rely on her ears to alert her of any opposition.

"I used to love history," Samson's voice came in a low whisper directed towards her. The unexplained comment drew her attention, and she looked over to him in a silent question. His gaze remained forward but he could feel her eyes on him even in the dark. "In my past life I took a course in college about Nineteenth Century America," he added casually, voice contrasting with his tensed muscles as he stayed on high alert.

There was a pause, and he knew she was trying decide what to say in response. He knew that she'd reply. Once more he'd found himself alonewith Alicia on an Operation. It was a rare opportunity that catered to his ulterior motives. While he was with Division through and through, they didn't need to know _everything_. Together they would be stronger; poster children for Division. How he achieved it and what he did Alicia wasn't anybodies business but his. "Why are you telling me this?" she finally broke down and asked, covering her genuine curiosity with a little scoff.

"You you wondering how I knew about this stuff," Samson responded easily, scanning over the cement rooms they were beginning to pass more frequently.

"I'm not going to tell you about my past," she responded in a whisper, and he could just imagine she was rolling her eyes at that moment.

While he hadn't planned the conversation, he had the unusual urge to carry on. _Maybe if she knows me better_ his mind was wandering as he expertly cleared every room they approached _she will soften up a little._ Samson never thought that he'd _want_ to tell someone about his past, and he understood her hesitation in doing so. "I won't ask about it," he assured her, keeping his tone as soft as hers. The faint sound of voices called his feet to a stop, and Alicia moved in tune.

With a glance to each other they fell back against opposite sides of the hallway before creeping forward. There was no telling how far away the voices had come from, and with vision still restricted to a few a few feet in front of them there was no sign of a light up ahead. Sticking tight to the walls Alicia tuned her sites behind them as Samson covered their forward advance. The Russian their ears picked up on grew louder, but was muffled and distorted by the time it reached their ears.

Samson had taken the side with the cells, and he scanned every one they passed just to be safe. An ambush in such close quarters would be deadly. He only hoped the aged cement had softened enough over time for the bullets to engrave in the walls rather than adding the worry of ricochets to their list. The voices drew closer only to fall suddenly silent, and Alicia turned her attention to the confident of no one approaching their rear. Almost imperceptible to their ears came the faint sound of footsteps. They blurred together to a gentle padding making it impossible to distinguish how many were in the party quickly approaching them.

The flicker of a light came in to view, causing the two Agents to come stop their forward advance. Their best bet of a good a offense meant not worrying about defense, and Samson's eyes ran down the wall to the cell that lay a few feet ahead. He met Alicia's gaze from across the hall, motioning for her to come forward. In the dark she wouldn't be able to see any hand signals and he waited until she closed the distance to fall into place on the wall behind him to give them.

She followed the direction of his point, tracing the length of the wall to the opening with a sweep of her eyes. There was no need to nod, and once she saw what he was pointing to they began to creep forward. Ahead the light grew closer, a circle of a flashlight's glow being directed towards the ground. Despite the fact she was Point Samson led, his larger frame hiding her almost completely. With the black of their field wear they blended into the darkness, and that knowledge helped to keep her heartbeat in check. They slowed as Samson approached the cement entrance way, pausing so he could look past the rusted bars to the opening.

The coast was clear, and just as he ducked into the room a shout rang out. Alicia reacted quickly, firing moments after Samson stopped blocking her view down the hall. The source of the flashlight had raised its beam and the outer edges of the light illuminated her figure, the sudden shine rendering her momentarily blind. Her gloved finger pulled on the trigger, firing in their direction without the option of aiming. Her shots were met with return fire and the sound of bullets whizzing past her moved her into action. Stepping forward to reach the safety of the room she fired down the length of the hall, dispensing bullets in a quick succession. With her partner unable to help, leaving the cell would mean stepping into both hers and the enemies' line of fire, she knew her only chance of survival meant reaching the 6 by 6 cell where slaves were once kept. Ironic really.

Alicia moved for the door and pain exploded in her ribs, vision flashing as gasped for breath. Before she had time to recover two more points of impact cried out in agony and her legs gave out on her. Her body crumpled to the ground, her hold loosening on the gun even as she tried to continue squeezing the trigger. Fire was tearing through her veins and the little light on her mixed with the darkness as the world around her seemed to shake. It felt like her lungs were collapsing and she found she couldn't breathe, her mouth open but producing no results. The gunfire had stopped only to be replaced with shouting and the sound of footsteps closing in on her. _If they find Samson he's dead_ her mind screamed at her not to give up, and she managed to roll onto her stomach. A whimper of pain tore from her throat opening her airways and she felt like she was going to be sick as the cold air tore its way into her aching lungs.

She could feel her body shutting down on her, her hands and feet growing cold and numb as she forced her limbs to move. The light was on her now, but she kept her eyes locked on her gun that lay just a few feet ahead. Alicia knew they wouldn't let her reach it but she had to do _something_. If her partner had any hopes of survival then it required the element of surprise. Alicia had been shot- that much her mind could process past the pain. What she didn't know was where the entrance to the cubical that held Samson lay. If she'd gone down in front of the bars that lined the entrance to the room then they'd find him when they found her, something she couldn't allow to happen. With determination she crept forward only able to manage a haphazard army crawl as she dragged her body past the doorway. Her insides were screaming in pain, sweat lacing her brow as she stifled the sobs rattling around in her throat and forced them to escape only as an occasional groan.

The men were almost on her now and she could hear them talking at her- or amongst themselves; she couldn't tell. The darkness was starting to close in on her despite the light now illuminating her, and when she coughed she couldn't tell if the ground was dark with her blood or with vomit. Her insides were killing her and she had a feeling that even if they didn't these men soon would. As her eyes closed she waited for them to put her out of her misery, unable to make her body move any further. It felt like she'd moved far enough but there was no time left to be sure. A kick to the head and everything went dark.

If it wasn't for the fact she could still feel pain she would have considered the possibility she'd just died. It seemed death wasn't in store for her just yet, the burning in her chest proof of that. Instead she was granted a rough drop to the floor that jolted all of her senses, awakening her mind as well as her injuries. She could feel herself collide with the cement ground, her head bouncing with a sickening thud as it made contact. For a moment the intense pain blinded her and her eyesight flashed, all the sounds and sensations around her blurring into a sickening bombardment on her senses.

Just when she thought she was about to throw up, bile teasing the back of her throat with its acid promise, she gained control of the urge. With a dry swallow she forced it back down into her stomach, her head throbbing as Alicia tried to ignore the pain to take a mental checklist on her physical state. A few of her ribs were definitely broken and it was a little difficult to breathe, but she was still alive; that was good.

She could hear the men whispering to each other nearby, and eased her eyes back open to see they were across the room from her. _Division doesn't do this type of extraction_ Alicia was quick to piece together as she realized she'd been moved from the hallway. Shifting her eyes to her arms, not wanting to move and call attention to herself just yet, she was able to deduce they'd carried her from the hall. Had they dragged her, something she'd expected to happen, there would have been more dirt on her dark jacket. Aside from the shots, and the kick, it seemed like the rest of her body was in decent condition.

As she began to tentatively tense her muscles to check for damage a hand reached down, grabbing a handful of the dark material near her neck. For the first time she noticed the man squatting near her legs as he yanked her into a sitting position. Sharp stabs of pain riddled her insides and she could do nothing to stop the tremor that shook her body. It lasted for a moment, the man holding firmly to the front of her jacket as he stared at her, watching her until the pain subsided to a steady throb. She heard his voice, watched his lips move, and somewhere in the back of her mind she knew what he was saying but she couldn't make sense of it.

The man repeated his order, cold blue eyes narrowing angrily on her. All she could do was stare at him, unable to decipher the language that was rattling around in her mind. Her own words had disappeared, and her mouth stayed a still line as she stared back at him. Growing impatient with her, and careless of her injured state, he proceeded to force her jacket from her body. With a finger in one of the bulletholes inthe material he pulled downwards, tearing at the fabric as he went. The action pulled the jacket tight against her body as it strained to withhold the abuse. It put up a fight, upsetting her injuries as it broke free to tear down her front, and she found the sleeves of her arms being pulled to remove the torn jacket.

Her head was forced forward as the back of the jacket was pulled up and over it, the sleeves catching on her hands as he gave a final pull to break them free. _My hands _the thought was the first coherent one to form, and she realized for the first time she hadn't been tied up. As if a jolt to her nerves her body tried to react and she moved on impulse. Muscles jumping into action she lunged forward, body colliding with the unsuspecting man. There was a moment of struggle only for Alicia to lock her legs around his torso, pinning him beneath her on the ground with knife drawn and at his throat. She didn't even know when she had drawn it, and her green eyes were wide in a surprise similar to the man beneath her as her gaze flickered to the ceramic blade as a droplet of blood formed along its edge. A moment satisfaction tempted her to put pressure on the blade, and for a second the order to her hand to do so bounced around in her mind. Before she could finish the job sharp stabs of pain racked her body as she was dragged off of him before she could pose any further threat.

She struggled in the arms that held her off the ground like some ragdoll, completely careless of her injured state. It only took her a few seconds to realize she was only hurting herself, and Alicia forced herself to still in his arms. Her eyes followed the man whom she'd had pinned moments ago, watching as he got to his feet with a dangerous glint to his eyes. This time the man spoke in English as he reached up and touched the faint line of blood that now graced his throat. "Hold her still," he commanded gruffly, holding her eyes as he did so. In the cold blue depths she could feel the rage there, but what scared her the most was the power. She was helpless in this situation and he, whoever he was, would make sure she didn't forget that again.

Whoever it was that had her obliged, shifting his hold on her to place her feet on the ground. The two arms that had been holding her moments ago locked around hers, keeping her own arms secure in his hold behind her back. If it wasn't for him holding her so tightly Alicia didn't doubt she would have wound up back on the floor. The pain was excruciating and the blurring of her vision was making it difficult to hold in violent coughs that threatened to tear her apart at any moment. Weakness would be her downfall, and Alicia was working so hard on smothering her pain that the only mask she could wear was one that consisted of glazed over eyes and lips drawn tight.

Any moment now he'd try to get her to talk, and she waited for it with growing apprehension. Her mind was actively trying to interpret the broken pieces of conversation she was picking up from around her. The bite of the language felt so familiar yet out of reach. Even if she had been able to work out what they were saying, she wasn't so sure that what they had to say would help her at all. If anything it would only cause the reality of the situation to sink in. That was something she couldn't allow, and Alicia focused all of her determination on reciting bits and pieces of what she'd learned in Division in the privacy of her thoughts.

The man before her lowered his hand from his throat, taking a slow step towards her as if to judge her reaction. She watched in a detached state of mind as he closed the distance between them, hands latching onto her combat belt the moment he was close enough. Piece by piece he stripped of her gear, tossing aside everything he removed from her into a pile on the floor. Her eyes tracked the growing pile, watching as the men picked apart its contents to stake claim. Having finished with taking away her toys, he struggled momentarily to undo the Kevlar vest Alicia wore. Looking down at his dirty hands as he worked it open she counted the bullets embedded there. Three shots, she'd taken _three_ shots to the chest. _Samson probably thinks I'm dead_ she thought numbly as they stripped her down to the white wifebeater she wore that was miraculously blood free.

No longer useful, the man dropped the Kevlar to the ground, kicking it away as he stepped back. At the sound his step made, both hers and the man's eyes flickered down to his feet. Beneath his black boots lay the tip of the ceramic blade she'd had at his throat just minutes ago. She saw the spark in his eye as he stooped to pick it up, her stomach tightening into a painful series of knots. He straightened up, meeting her eyes once more. She returned his gaze with one of anger, falling back on rage to cover the fear that threatened to bleed through. She refused to look at her knife in his hands, staring him straight on as he approached her, his own line of vision shifting to her chest.

The knife drew nearer and her breath caught in her lungs as the man used the tip of her own ceramic blade to hitch her shirt up, revealing the deep bruising that covered the fair skin of her abdomen. It looked as bad as it felt, and Alicia turned her eyes upwards to get away from the sight. She met the cold blue eyes that now glared at her, waiting for what he'd do next. There were only so many ways this situation could pan out and none of them were good. _I hope I distracted them_ Alicia tried to focus on the positive. Maybe Samson was already at Kruikov. All she knew was that she had no idea where _she_ was.

Wherever it was the situation was looking grim. They'd stripped her of her weapons and she wasn't surprised that her blade had been sharp enough to cut a slit in the fabric of her tank top. Though the man had turned his attention to examining the blade, her bruised stomach remained exposed. The cold air stung at her skin which only seemed to burn hotter as if to rebel. Blue eyes shifted from the blade to her face as he barked at her again, the words bouncing in her head. The language skills Division had pounded into her tried frantically to piece together what he was saying.

Alicia wasn't sure if it was the pain or the fact she didn't really want to know what he had to say, but she couldn't draw anything out other than _Russian._ Unable to make out his words, even when he repeated them once more, she was left staring defiantly into his eyes. Two blue orbs drew closer to hers, his breath washing over her cheeks as the arms around her constricted tighter. Whatever he said caused the men to chuckle as his eyes danced over her face, the pain she was trying to smother rearing its head in order to overcome the fear. The beauty that made her valuable to Amanda was the very thing that seemed determined to be the cause of torment.

Even before he reached out to cup her chin she had somehow known he was referring to her looks. Something had been said about her face, and the smug eyes that accompanied the wicked smirk of the man made her vision narrow. _I'd rather be hit than hit on _the thought formed and miraculously didn't pass through her lips. His face loomed nearer and she did the only thing she could do to get away; turn her head. Whether he'd been about to kiss or her not she'd never know; the man was otherwise distracted. With two fingers he plucked the earbud from her ear, looking down at the small device in his hand which had given up its post on her chin.

She watched him examine it, ready for his eyes when they turned back to hers. Shoving the earbud in her face he tried again, talking in a tongue she didn't bother to try and decipher. Whatever Mr. Blue Eyes had to say she was far from interested. Even if she'd had an answer to the question being growled at her she wouldn't have given it. Instead of a reply all the man got was a smile laced with hate from the Division Agent he held captive.

The backhand that connected with her face was nothing compared to her broken ribs, despite the force of it turning her head to the side. Alicia's face snapped back forward, her smile returning as the loathing for her captors only grew. She relied on the building rage to carry her through, and she did something she knew would keep the situation violent; she spat in his face. He recoiled, shouting as he did so, throwing the earbud blindly across the room. Instead of the blow she'd expected all he did with his hand was make a violent pointing motion, and with it she was being dragged across the room. Her socked feet traced over the damp cement floor, the feeling of eyes following her as she was pushed up against a wall of bars.

The arms constricting her released her, and there was time to get out a blind strike before a new set of hands was latching onto her wrists. Alicia struggled against her judgment as her hands were forced above her head. With a painful yank her arms were extended as far as they could go, the feeling of rope pinning them in place. She tried to make sense of the knots being tied to bind her hands together as they were secured in place. The rope dug deeper into her skin as the knots were pulled tight, the man falling back away from her now that his job was done.

With arms crossed the blue eyed man took in her bound state, eyes traveling the length of her with dark appreciation. Even as he stepped forward she glared at him; unafraid of what he'd do next. No matter how badly they hurt her she wouldn't breathe a word of truth to the men. It didn't matter that she couldn't understand them, it didn't matter that no one was coming for her; _anything_ for Division. His arms uncrossed and she locked onto his eyes, unwilling to watch what he was planning to do now that she was trussed up. His body loomed inches from hers and she processed the feeling of her remaining glove being slipped off of her hand. With his free hand he grabbed her chin once more, fingers digging into her cheeks as he squeezed roughly. Her mouth was forced open only to have her glove shoved in.

The taste of leather was overpowered by a mix of damp, rust and bitterness she could only connect to mold. It settled on her taste buds, coating her mouth and her gag reflex kicked into gear. With nowhere to go once more the bile retreated to her stomach and the burn it left ran all the way up into her nose. Coughs shook her body as she struggled to breath, too focused on her worn lungs begging for air to care that the man had stepped back to watch. Moving on its own her tongue ignored the vile taste and prodded forward, forcing the glove out of her mouth. It fell to the ground, a gasp tearing from her lungs as the ability to breathe returned to her once more.

Laughter sounded and the cruel sound was muffled by the cement walls at the same time it bounced the remaining sound back at her. With a glitter of amusement in his eyes the man turned his back on her, striding to join his men on the other side of the room. Not wanting to give them any more satisfaction she closed her eyes, hanging her head as she focused all of her energy inwards. One by one she woke up her muscles, tensing and releasing them to keep them active. _At the very least I can try to make sure I'll bleed out _her thoughts chided her, the sudden disappointment of being captured cutting a hole into her heart.

It was too late for her to finish her mission; she knew that. All she could do was try and process the bits and pieces of talking coming from the men as she focused on her current situation. _Russian_ her brain chanted as it clicked away. _Russian Russian Russian- _ as though a floodgate had been opened the rough sounds meeting her ears took the form of words. From the sounds of it they hadn't found Samson and thought she whoever she was working with was dead. This news lightened her mood only for it to be crushed as she recognized they were currently debating if they should kill her or bring her to Kruikov. It wasn't her predicament she was worried about: it was that Samson hadn't yet reached Kruikov.

Alicia was torn on what to do. On one hand she didn't want a bullet in the brain and on the other she didn't want to get in the way of Samson carrying out their Operation. She wasn't sure what her training would suggest she do in this situation. Operatives captured on missions weren't rescued; it was a fact. Despite being left to the wolves Alicia's only concern was how to aid her partner by any means possible. Her eyes opened only to dance around the room in an attempt to process what she had to work with. It was clear she was underground: the room was made of cement and illuminated only by a lantern. There were tables but whatever they held she couldn't make out for dirty off-white sheets covered the tops. The men had set up in the corner and had obviously been there a while: the remnants of a card game laid spread out on an overturned soapbox. None of it helped her any.

Before she could find anything useful a commotion broke out that drew her attention, and she tried to follow the voices that seemed to blur together. The kick to her head appeared to have rattled something loose, for her thoughts seemed sluggish as she registered their words seconds after they were actually said. _Someone's here_ Alicia noted and she lifted her head, watching as two more men filed into the room. Around her the other…. _Six_ she counted, six men all made themselves look busy with the exception of Mr. Cold Blue Eyes standing with back to her and her blade in hand.

_Kruikov?_ she worried, testing the rope that bound her hands; if it was him then she still had a mission to do; no matter what it took. The rope held fast, tied so tightly that Alicia was forced to stand on her toes. The bastards had stripped her of everything but her black pants and the cut open tanktop that did nothing to protect her from the damp air of the cold room. They'd even taken her shoes, and she considered that the kick to the head made her delirious for she was thankful they'd at least left her socks on. When a third man came in, clearly the one that had everyone so worked up, Alicia was relieved to see she didn't recognize him as their target. _Maybe Samson got to him_ she hoped for the best.

From across the room their eyes met, and she felt a chill run down her spine as the new man started in her direction. A cold dread set into her bones, seeming to weigh her down as her arms throbbed uncomfortably at every joint. No amount of training was able to get rid of the fear altogether, but her faithful heart managed to retain a steady beat. Though she couldn't see his face, she recognized the sound of the man who was still in possession of her favorite weapon. **This is her; the one who was in the tunnels**, as he spoke his back remained to her.

She had just enough time to figure out what he'd said when the newcomer spoke in return. **The one who killed Pyotr? **Alicia could only assume the grunt in response was confirmation, for the man stopped a few feet before her, eyes never leaving hers. Long grey hair framed his face turning dark brown near his chin, scars and pockmarks on his face making it hard to discern how old he actually was. **Who is she with?** The sound of his low voice speaking the words asked in heavy Russian.

**She hasn't said a word** Mr. Blue Eyes responded, turning to face her, sliding her knife back into the thigh sheath he'd taken from her earlier.

**Can she understand us?** He asked, eyes narrowing on hers as he posed the question. Alicia stared blankly back at him, in part too tired and in too much pain to make any expression. She wondered if she looked weak, broken or just angry? It sure felt like she was a mix of all three. _Captured and strung up _she stewed internally, mind wandering as they continued to talk to one another in front of her,_without completing the mission; what a way to go_.

She truly was angry at the situation; and angry at herself. The urge to fight back struck her and she figured _why the hell not?_ At this point her chances of survival were next to none. If she went down it was going to be fighting. The blue eyed man, who she had picked up was named Sasha, was closer to her than she remembered, and for the first time she broke her blank eyed staring contest with the long haired man to look instead at him. **We found it on her** he was saying, a wicked gleam to his cool eyes as he regarded her from a few inches away.

**You searched her for weapons? **The man in front of her nodded, and the long haired man spoke once more. **Pat her down. I want to talk to her. **

A sheen of perspiration coated every inch of her bare skin, and in the chilled air it brought out a cold sweat. Goosebumps prickled her skin even as she glared at Sasha's hands growing closer. They came to rest just beneath her armpits where her shirt started before roaming over her body. All she could think was if she hadn't been tied _Sasha_ would never be able to use his hands again. But she was helpless, and especially angry that everywhere his warm hands touched felt a hundred times colder when they moved on.

The skin of his hands was rough yet, surprisingly, his touch remained gentle. Sasha explored his way down over her chest, pausing only for a squeeze on her breasts before gliding downwards. Hands snaking around her body he canvassed her back with exploring fingers, going beneath the loose fabric of the cut shirt. They traveled back around her sides, resting on her love handles as he stared at her bared stomach for a moment. The entire time his hands were on her stomach Alicia was stuck holding her breath as she waited for the pain. She watched as he moved his hands towards the core of her stomach and he pressed on her bruises tentatively, not quite causing pain but pushing it just to the threshold of doing so.

Miraculously the blue eyed man decided not to mess with her injuries and instead he carried on his infuriating pat-down of her. He slowly shifted to his knees, hands traveling down her hips as Alicia got a view of the longhaired man once more. She could feel his eyes on her along with number of the other men in the room; Sasha included. But it was the newcomer's focused gaze that had her undivided attention. The way he watched her made her skin crawl and she knew that they didn't want to kill her just yet; they wanted to degrade her first. Alicia shifted her eyes to the man who was taking his sweet time feeling his way down her legs. Her muscles itched to kick him, knee him- do _something_. But she couldn't; not yet. If she was going to risk causing damage then it had to be permanent. She had to make a statement or things would only drag on.

As if reading her mind and testing her patience as a result, Sasha slid one hand around to cup her ass as the other found the zipper of her pants. Alicia's eyes flickered up to the man who watched, ignoring the others who were probably doing the same off to the side, and her anger broke free. Using the sudden rush of adrenaline she pulled her body from the ground using her tied wrists as leverage, gritting her teeth in pain as her abdominal muscles screamed in protest. It didn't stop her however, and she pushed through it without letting it affect her speed. Before anyone could react her thighs were around the man's neck, calves locking together.

Her eyes met with the longhaired man's in a challenge, lips in a small smile as she spit out the first phrase that came to mind. "_Filthy Russian Whore_," tumbled out for some reason, only it was in French. She didn't have time to linger on that oddity, and Alicia gave a twist of her legs, using all her strength to snap the man's neck between her thighs. The moment it gave Sasha's body crumpled to the ground, yanking the ropes on her wrists painfully as it pulled her legs with it. She slammed back against the wall, wincing in pain and trying to refrain from crying out as every inch of her body insulted her for attacking.

A gun was quickly to her temple, one of the random men having jumped to action too late to do any good. Another delivered a swift punch to her ribs and she couldn't hold in the cry of pain any longer. It tore from her lips as another blow was delivered, sounding more like a strangled laugh than anything. _This is it _she hoped rather than worried as the sound of her own pained breathing rattled around in her head. The world flashed behind her closed eyes as she fought off the tears in a desperate attempt to stay strong. _Birkhoff will feel guilty_ the thought haunted Alicia as she held her eyes closed and waited for what would happen next. She could only hope he would think she had died in that hallway.

**That was French** a man spoke up, the voices all starting to sound alike in the heavy Russian being thrown around. It didn't help that they always sounded angry. Through hooded eyes Alicia peered, hoping to get a view of who had made sense of her little outburst. Instead she found herself trapped in the ling haired man's gaze, their eyes locking onto one another's.

With a wave from the man Alicia was in a stare down with, another punch was delivered to her gut. She bit back the cry of agony that her broken ribs insisted she let free. He turned his eyes from her to whomever had spoken, for the first time acknowledging there were other people in the room. **You** she couldn't see who the voice was directed to, **translate for me.** She hadn't expected any of the men to speak French, and cursed herself for not defaulting to something more creative _like German_, she idly, _I bet I would have been safe with German. _With her dark hair, big green eyes and fair skin she could pull off a number of nationalities with the right accent. French just happened to be a language she'd grown up with.

The pressure of the gun on her temple was removed, just as she remembered it was there. Sticking his firearm into the back of his pants, the man at her side moved, tying her feet to the bars a foot apart, her weight now supported by her toes and her wrists. She grimaced at the man who was clearly in charge as he stepped up to her, overlooking the man stepping up behind him. Though she understood what he said she focused intently on his dark eyes, unable to discern their color even though he was only a foot or two away.

"_He wants to know what you hoped to accomplish,"_ the voice caused her head to turn, snapping to the speaker. Up until that moment she hadn't considered paying _him_ any attention. She'd planned on giving him some false answers, but only ever holding the main man's gaze. It wasn't the fluent language in a choppy Russian accent that surprised her; no it was the voice. _I'm delirious_ she worried; staring at the man in full gear like the patrol in the tunnel wore. Of all people she hadn't expected to see _him_ there.

The hazel eyes she stared into showed no recognition as he gave an impatient glare in response. "_Someone had to kill Kruikov_," Alicia answered vaguely. She knew that Samson was asking the question just as much as he was repeating it. How her partner had found her, or what he was doing pretending to be one of Kruikov's men she wasn't certain. The only idea her mind could come up with was that she'd been out for a whole lot longer than she'd counted on. _He's here to get rid of me_ Division's habit of tying up loose ends directed her line of thinking. Even so; she was grateful. If Samson was who'd they'd sent then he'd at least be thoughtful enough to make it a quick death.

To her credit she didn't look or sound anything but pissed off as she answered his questions. Samson was relieved to find her in one piece though he'd never let it show. She was clearly in rough shape but judging by the body being dragged away from her feet she wasn't out for the count just yet. He was glad he'd gotten there in time to get to her, and Alicia's anger was a good sign; it would help to fuel her past the pain. He repeated back and forth the man's pointless questions, changing them to communicate with her underneath everyone's noses. Trying to speak in a different accent when it wasn't his tongue was difficult, but he managed to pull it off and his stumbling only made it all the more convincing.

He fired a few more questions at her, but her mouth remained closed and teeth gritted. She'd answered all that she could as vaguely as her worn out brain could manage. The pull of her weight against her wrists made her arms ache, the bite of the ropes not helping her stung up situation. Samson could see the fire in her green eyes but he knew that her fight was starting to fade and turned his attention away from her. Looking at her was only making his trigger finger itch. _Not here_ he kept himself in check _and not now_.

Too tired to follow the back and forth between Samson and the long haired man she filed through her thoughts. The nagging feeling that she had something she could offer her partner was driving her crazy. Thoughts a blur of French and English she tried to lock onto what was bothering her. It was clear that he hadn't eliminated their target, she'd picked that much up from his questioning, but what she didn't know was why. _Because of me _the thought rung true in her mind, eyes closing as she lowered her head. No matter how hard she tried there was nothing more she had to offer.

She could sense people near her, could hear the breathing and feel the heat radiating from their bodies. Alicia kept her eyes closed, shaky breaths rolling from her lips. Once more goosebumps ran rampant on her skin and a shudder run up the length of her body. But the pain she'd anticipated and the humiliation she dreaded never came. Instead there was a tugging at her wrists and her eyes eased open, hesitantly following the arms beside her head. The man untied her, and as she was let down from the uncomfortable post on the wall she couldn't understand what had prompted her release.

Unable to look to Samson for answers Alicia was left with no option but to allow herself to be manhandled. The moment the final knot holding her to the bars was worked free there was nothing left to hold her up. Asleep from the waist down, her legs felt like jello as they collapsed under her weight. With her ankles still tethered she landed painfully on her knees, keeping her back ridged in an attempt to keep her face from meeting the same fate. While it worked, she didn't wind up kissing cement, it caused her abdominal muscles to sear red hot with an entirely new brand of pain.

Samson watched as her hands were pushed behind her back, being tied in place even as her legs were being released. He hung back, switching out his weapon for the semi-automatic being pushed forward into his hands. Instinctively he turned it over in his hold, checking to make sure it was loaded before becoming comfortable with it. With gun hanging at his side, his finger idly stroked the trigger as Alicia was pulled to her feet. His eyes made a quick scan of the room, falling back a step to let the two men past who had Alicia by her biceps as they marched her forwards. A small nod passed between him and the long haired man before Samson fell into a step behind the trio, following them out the doorway with firearm in tow.

Between the men nudging her along and her stumbling painful walk she had a feeling she'd collapse before they made it wherever they were headed. It would be humiliating to have to be dragged after Samson had gone so far just to retrieve her from behind enemy lines. Every Agent knew in a situation like this it was Division policy not to exfil. It was every man for themselves on the field in terms of getting caught. Alicia had seen the gun when she'd been moved past him and she knew what it was for; her. There wasn't any other explanation to his unexpected appearance. She could already see the cover story for Kruikov: captured enemy tried to escape, killing two guards and herself in the process. Someone out there probably didn't think she'd keep her mouth shut under pressure and she had a feeling she knew who; Percy.

Behind her came the sound of Samson excusing himself in Russian, and she closed her eyes in expectation of the bullet that should have followed. All that came was the sound of his retreating footsteps, and she looked over her shoulder to watch his figure fade down the hallway, leaving Alicia confused. The men only tugged her forward like they were on a mission, and she found herself watching her feet as they somehow managed to continue on one in front of the other at the men's rough pace. As fast as they moved, they only made it a few yards before the sound of gunfire lit up the hall. Alicia found herself pushed against the wall, the other man with his gun trained down the hallway they'd just come from. No idea what was going on she, she resisted the urge to waste her strength on the man who was plastered against her. With her hands tied behind her back and no weapons she was an easy target, and at least he offered cover.

An eerie silence fell over the hall, the last echoes being absorbed by the damp surface of underground system. For a moment everything seemed frozen before the man eased off of her, warning her not to make a move in both Russian and American before making a slit-your-throat motion for good measure. She didn't move a muscle and watched as he too drew his weapon, looking to the other man before staring down the hall. All it took was two bursts of fire and Alicia watched as the men before her dropped to the floor, guns going off on their way down.

As Samson's figure approached her, tossing aside the weapon he'd been using, he drew something from the pocket of his coat. "Kruikov will never see us coming," he grinned, unsheathing her knife as he met her gaze. Alicia stared at him, finding it hard to believe that she wasn't just dreaming. When he'd emerged from the darkness with gun smoking her first thought had been _my turn._ Never in a million years had she even dared to play with the idea he'd come to _rescue _her. _That is what he's doing, isn't it? _Unable to process the confusion and pain raging inside, Alicia's muscles locked up and her mind drew a blank.

In a few steps he was in front of her, eyes scanning her body to make sure no stray bullets had found her. Samson doubted in her current state she'd have processed being shot over the rest of the pain she must have been feeling. He knew firsthand how ungodly uncomfortable it was to be suspended like that during an interrogation. After a second he realized her eyes had hazed over, and he took her silence as time to step over the bodies and rested his hand on her bicep. At his touch her muscles tensed, shoulders squaring as her eyes found his hand that held her ceramic knife. Beneath his hand he could almost feel her preparing for a stab in the heart, and if he hadn't been so relieved she wasn't being difficult he would have rolled his eyes.

Instead he slowly eased her away from the wall, moving around her to lower the blade to the ropes that held her hostage. After a few seconds he had her free of her bonds and let the rope fall to the ground as he returned the knife to its sheath. Despite being free of her bonds Alicia didn't move other than to waver slightly where she stood. "As much as I like seeing you tied up," he breathed in her ear, hands resting on her shoulders as he stepped up close behind her, "we should retrieve what we can of your gear and finish this mission."

He scooped her up before she could object, the only sound coming in the form of a whimper of pain. Samson winced at the sound, looking down at her in his arms as he got an up close view of her injuries. "My ribs," Alicia grumbled, deciding to defend her weakness with an explanation. _Of all things_ his eyes narrowed on her in disbelief. Here he was flying under Division's radar to find her, and she was reminding him that those walls were still up.

Luckily he hadn't intended to use rescuing her as a means of exploiting cracks in the wall. No, all he was concerned about was her current state. "I saw you get shot," Samson said, eyes scouring her exposed flesh for any signs of an entry wound.

"Three to the chest but my Kevlar took the worst of it," she explained, voice a little rough. Against his chest he could feel her slight shrug more than he could see it, and he watched as she seemed to come back to life in his arms. Her ponytail of auburn hair fell over his bicep as she turned her attention to the hallway he was carrying her down. "I can walk," she insisted, as if suddenly aware of the fact she'd been in his arms the past few moments.

"You're dead on your feet," he sighed, not looking down at her with a teasing smile like he normally would. Instead he flashed her a look that let her know it was _not _a topic he was willing to discuss. Alicia was light in his arms and despite how she acted he could tell that she was running on empty. He could see the full deep bruises that covered the fair skin of her stomach, and now that he had her and trapped against he could feel how ragged her breathing was.

When they turned into the room she was surprised to see that everyone in it lay dead. The same men who had their eyes on her stung up and helpless now lay riddled with bullet holes on the cold cement floor. Samson stepped over two of the bodies as he carried her into the room, coming to a stop near the largest grouping of men. When he shifted she was surprised to find he was setting her back on her feet, and she was more than happy to scramble away from the unwanted contact. Everything felt foreign and unwelcome on her skin, and as she looked up at him she felt more exposed than ever.

Standing in the middle of the room her eyes scanned the surroundings that were already imprinted deep into her memory. The sight of her abused Kevlar discarded on the floor reminded her of just what she was standing in the middle of. She'd been the one shot, captured and put into a compromising situation and yet _Samson _was the source of all the dead bad guys and _Samson _was her reason for being free. Her green eyes turned on him, already knowing that they'd find him staring at her. "What's going on?" the question she'd been dying to ask finally made its way from her lips.

His lips drew tighter, and for a second Samson looked concerned as he took her in. "Where's your shirt?" he asked instead.

"You're looking at it," she sighed, motioning to fabric slit open to reveal her stomach.

"Jacket?"

"Between being shot and having it torn off of me," Alicia responded, scanning him with narrow eyes, "it's not in worthwhile condition."

It looked like this upset him, for he groaned and shook his head, walking past her to stoop over one of the bodies. "Since your gear is useless," Samson spoke as he rolled over one of the bodies, "we'll have to stick to the captor –captive roles. Shoes?" He busied himself with checking a gun for ammo before taking it for himself.

Putting aside the fact she felt like a useless child, Alicia bit her lip and scanned the room once more before spotting them in the corner. Every step felt awkward and painful made worse by the fact she had to move closer to Samson in the process. Of course the second she looked to him he had to look over at her, and she turned her eyes towards the boots as quickly as she could. _Why did he come back for me?_ the question haunted her, and in her frustration she forgot about her ribs. The moment she stooped to grab the boots the pain shot through her once more, color flashing in her eyes as she tried to straighten herself up to correct her mistake. Her sudden movement only made things worse and as the pain spiked she bit her lower lip to keep from making any sound of pain as her world seemed to twist.

If it weren't for two strong arms hooking under her armpits she would have wound up in a heap on the ground. For a moment Samson supported her weight, allowing her a few moments of silence to recuperate. "I'm fine," she insisted, hating that once more she was letting herself be weak around him.

To his credit he didn't comment nor drop her despite her objections. Instead he slowly eased on his upwards pressure, gradually increasing the weight he was allowing her to place back on her feet. He waited as he felt a tremor of shakes run the length of her body, staying dutifully silent as he stared down at her. This was no time for a power struggle; he knew that. When he felt it was safe to do so he withdrew his arms from her, not the least bit surprised when the first move she made was to step away from him. Moving before she had the option of making the same mistake twice, he stepped in front of her, a foot on either side of the boots she aimed to pick up.

"Let me get them," he ordered more than offered.

Looking too tired to object, but still a weary she nodded. She watched as he picked up the boots, getting down on one knee in front of her. As she rested a hand on his shoulder, her free hand drifting to her stomach, Alicia lifted one foot from the ground. "How did you find me?" she asked, deciding to get her questions out there while she could. _Not like this could be any more humiliating_ she all but sighed, watching as her partner tied up her field boots.

"I pulled an Alicia and got my hands on one of the guards' radios," he answered, a mischievous sparkle in his eye.

She raised a brow, because on mission she had to be a sweet distraction while she cloned the device. It was clear he wanted her to ask, but she already guessed what his answer would be. _So I shot him not seduced him, big difference _his most likely reply bounced around her head. "Same one who lent you your outfit?" Alicia decided to ask instead, shifting to lift her other foot from the ground. It was almost amazing how much of a difference the boots made. Just having a barrier between her feet and the cold cement was enough to warm them the slightest bit.

"May have been the same fellow," he smirked as he finished the knot on her boot, "dead people all look the same after a while." Just looking at him made her feel foolish, and she promptly lowered her foot to the floor. Before taking a step to get away she decided it was better to air on the side of caution, so instead she merely moved her toes. They tingled uncomfortably, feeling stiff and lethargic, and Samson moved before she could test if her sense of balance had returned.

Alicia watched as he returned to some of said dead bodies on the floor, once more rifling through their pockets. She bit her lip, refraining from asking what he was looking for. Samson wasn't the type to pickpocket corpses for fun. It occurred to her that his back was to her, and she used the moment to look down at herself. The second her eyes landed on the dark purple of her stomach her eyes snapped back to her partner, deciding it was better not to see it at all. As she watched him straighten back up, she tried to think of a way to salvage the mission. "What happened after I got shot?" she asked, trying to figure out what she hadn't been able to during interrogation.

He turned his hazel eyes on hers, stepping up with his hand forward. "They only heard your gun, so they didn't even think to look for me. Weren't stupid enough to assume someone wasn't coming though, so they took you on a tight guard," he informed her as he handed over some of her missing gear. All it consisted of was her compass, the pen light and her knife complete with sheath. Nevertheless she was grateful to at least have something back, and she took the two smaller objects first, tucking them deftly into her pockets before reaching for her blade. "Keep it out of view," he warned her, but this low voice sounded distant.

The moment her knife was back in possession a wave of fight took over her. Her fingers curled around the sheath that held it, clutching it tighter for a moment. It was hard to believe it was real; Samson coming back for her. But he had, and now she had to prove she was worth it and not to him, but to Division. Killing Kruikov would be a good start. "Where is he?" She lifted her eyes from the weapon to her partner, a dangerous sparkle in them.

He knew that look, and before she could protest he was scooping her back up in his arms. This time he made sure to be a little more careful, knowing she was still slow on her reflexes and he didn't have to work so hard to catch her off guard. As expected, the second his arms touched her she tightened her muscles to prepare herself on instinct and he had her up in the air relatively pain free. "In the parlor with a bottle of vodka," he grinned down at her, knowing the news would calm her frustration a little, "and he is quite literally waiting for us."

It took a second, but he knew the moment understanding set in on her. "He's waiting for a guard and the prisoner who tried to kill him," she pointed out, "so why are you carrying me?"

"If you want to be the defiant hostage then I'll have to tie you up," Samson warned her, loving the situation. Sure, she was in pain and he was worried about her; but putting her on the spot was always fun. Alicia shot him a glare before looking away. He knew if the circumstances were different she would have preferred to do just that. They probably would have made a challenge out of it. _How many can you kill with your hands tied behind your back?_ The temptation to continue on and tease her by adding _or you can be the worked over hostage who's too weak to walk on her own _was fleeting as his eyes lingered on her bruising. "Besides," he decided staying on her good side would be a better idea, "you can use the time to recoup."

His radio went off, and he shifted her slightly in his arms, supporting her easily as he lifted it to his mouth. He returned with a few phases of Russian, going back and forth before finishing with a laugh. Alicia eyed him, waiting until he returned the radio to his belt to speak her mind. "I've got a pretty mouth?" she questioned what had been said between the men, voice laced with bitter amusement. Samson just laughed again, smiling a wicked smirk down at her and she decided she didn't want an answer. "On second thought don't answer that," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

"You do," he replied anyways, "which it looks you used to piss someone off. What did you do to get yourself stung up? On the radio they said you were passed out cold."

"I came to when they dropped me," she sighed, grimacing at the memory as Samson started out into the hall.

"_What happened between that and insulting them in French?"_ he asked, slipping into French.

From the way he used the broken Russian accent to question her she knew that they were headed back into enemy territory. "_Apparently a knife to the throat is considered rude, so they decided to loot my gear_," she sighed, falling easily into the language. It felt warm on her tongue, and she was secretly thankful that she was able to use it once more.

"_Would it have killed you to play dead instead of posing a threat right off the bat?" _he groaned at this news, shaking his head almost as though disappointed in her.

"_By all means I already was dead,_" she fired back pointedly.

Samson looked down at her, giving her a bemused look. "_You didn't have to go kill someone the moment you came too,"_ he sounded more upset than amused, which only made Alicia confused.

With a shake of her head she broke eye contact with him, not wanting to waste her time trying to figure him out. "_I didn't. The knife to the throat was a survival instinct; I was out of it from being shot three times after all. Besides, I barely left a scratch on him,_" she defended herself half heartedly. It really had been a stupid thing to do, but she hadn't planned on her body reacting on its own like that.

"_They were working you over when I came in," _he recounted, sounding angry in his odd mixing of accents and languages, "_and a body was at your feet._"

"_He dropped me, I put a knife to his throat, he stripped me of my gear, I spat in his face,_" she responded lightheartedly, "_it was a give and take relationship. So naturally when they tied me up and he decided to pat me down I decided to take his life, causing them to restrain my ankles and give me a few lovetaps._"

Samson's dark eyes pulled her in, and she couldn't fathom why he looked so upset at this news. For a moment he glared at her, before tilting his head back and letting out a frustrated growl of defeat. "_You should have stayed put until I came to get you,"_ he sounded truly disgruntled.

His reaction only confused Alicia all the more. She still didn't know _why_ he'd come back for her. "_You weren't supposed to,_" she decided not to ask him for his reasons, "_you were supposed to be on your way to Kruikov._"

"_I got to Kruikov,_" he responded, looking down at her as he continued down the hall thankful for the light on his guard belt illuminating the way.

This news shocked her, and she didn't try to hide it from her face. Alicia was too worn out to care at this point. "_Then why isn't he dead?_" she asked, bewildered at her partner's behavior.

"_If I killed him then Division would have closed the books on the Operation,_" Samson responded openly. He wasn't shy about meeting her mystified emerald eyes. They both knew she would have been left to her own devices, and when the connection set in her gaze shied away in disbelief. "_I hesitated, and if I hadn't I never would have overheard that you were alive,_" he explained, and she could feel his eyes were still on her.

"_And the target would have been dead,_" she wanted to point out the flaw in his logic. Surely he could see how Division would frown upon his course of action.

Samson was silent for a moment, and when her eyes flickered up it was only to be caught in his. "_You would have been too,_" he spoke the moment he had her attention, "_and I happen to like having you as my partner._"

She bit back her response as the sound of voices came from down the hall, and they walked towards a group of well armed men. It wasn't difficult to look weak and battered, and aside from going relatively limp in her partner's arms there was nothing else to it. As the men grew near their lights were pointed in the duo's direction, a sentence barked their way. Samson replied, and all she had to do was lay there with her head leaning against his chest as he confirmed she couldn't speak Russian and they carried on a brief conversation. By the time they reached Kruikov she had no doubts she'd be ready to carry out their mission. The only thing that worried her was the blowback her capture and rescue would cause back home at Division.


	20. Inside Division

**_Feedback and reviews are much appreciated you guys! A little goes a long way towards motivation when it comes to writing. Thank you for reading and I hope you continue to enjoy!_**

* * *

For the first time in what seemed like forever Alicia had a second to just _breathe_. She reclined back in the medical chair, staring blankly at the off-white ceiling above her. The smell of alcohol and just plain _doctor's office_ lingered in the sanitized room. Her wrists rested in the halfmoon of open restraints, legs dangling between the slight spread padding of where they were a few hours ago. Despite the fact she'd undergone some Amanda inspired surgery in the room a day before, it was oddly comfortable.

After standing on the other side of the glass wall and watching as she had her ribs readjusted so they wouldn't heal unattractively, Michael had wasted no time in debriefing her. Alicia hadn't been surprised to find Division had a surgical observation room. She didn't doubt Percy had been too busy to come down to watch, or rather she hoped as much. It would be all the more humiliating to have him see her failure firsthand. _He doesn't like me _she could feel it was true and it bothered her. The worst of it was that no matter how hard she tried there was no way to be truly loyal to Division.

Having successfully killed Kruikov she and Samson were finally able to contact Ops, and of course Samson had stopped her seconds before she did. They had a problem and he had a solution; they lie. Alicia second guessed herself just thinking about it, but it had to be done. If anyone found out that she had been captured and Samson had disregarded their target to rescue her then shit would hit the fan. Even if _she_ wasn't Cancelled Samson was sure to be, and the weight of feeling like she owed him. Though neither had said a word about it the truth of the matter was he _had_ saved her life. It was Samson's suggestion to say they were captured together and after working out the details that was exactly what they did.

As if lying to everyone wasn't enough now she had to decide what she would tell Birkhoff. He'd undoubtedly heard the mission report from Michael. _Here I am wondering whether or not I'll lie to my secret boyfriend_ Alicia couldn't help but groan at the thought, one of her hands coming to rest over her eyes in frustration. She was starting to think all the secrecy and lies would catch up to her. Though the Agency was basically built from the stuff, only those who made the rules could break the rules.

_Birkhoff should have more power for all he does_ it wasn't the first time she hand the thought either. From all of their time together she knew just how much Division depended on him. There was so much that he oversaw and did that it made her head hurt just thinking about it. _That or the drugs_ Alicia wagered, knowing there was a bottle with her name on it somewhere. She'd taken one of the little pills in between Michael coming to see her and Samson stopping in. Thinking back, she'd acted as frigid towards him as she felt which was a first; typically she at least tried to _pretend_ to be nice. _Have I always thought this loud? _She wondered. It was true, she did seem to be thinking a little more vividly than usual. Just the thought of Birkhoff's name made her get to her feet, one hand drifting to rest on the bandages that covered her ribs.

_I bet he's here_ with a hand she steadied herself, looking down at what she wore. Once more she'd be walking through the halls of Division in a sports bra with a stomach wound. It struck her at the first person she saw that things were different from when she'd received that scratch as a relatively new Agent. _I look like the walking dead_ she internally groaned knowing it to be true. There was bruising all over the right side of her face and she didn't know whether to attribute it to the kick, being dropped, or the backhand that had happened to split her cheek which was currently held together with skin glue and a butterfly bandage. Throw in the gauze pad tapped to canvass the entire front of her abdomen, wrapping slightly around the right side, and she wouldn't blame someone for following her around with a toe tag just in case.

Alicia couldn't help but feel slightly paranoid, and she tried to avoid the eyes that followed her as she made her way through Division's active mid-day halls. _I shouldn't be joking about toe tags_ her thoughts scolded her line of thinking. Any second one of two things could happen: they could find out she and Samson lied and things would get dark _or _they could discover her relationship with Birkhoff and things would get _really _dark. Either way, Alicia had a feeling she wouldn't be in walking state after an interrogation from _Division_ and considered herself lucky for the time being.

She'd reached the recruit area now and the number of eyes on her increased, changing from direct stares to pathetic attempts at playing it cool. _All desperately trying not to look desperate _Alicia knew the feeling. Once upon a time she'd played mind games with Samson just because there was such little else to do. Now however she was an Agent, and so she strode the length of the training room and took the few stairs to the landing with her usual casual grace. The pain was masked by the drugs and she knew that Division medication would take care of her body returning to full health. It wouldn't be long until she was allowed back on the field.

Pausing for a moment, Alicia realized Birkhoff was probably in the middle of a class. Amanda had the chance to talk to her pre-operation about how their project would be on hold while Alicia regained her strength. With a heavy heart she'd almost given in, only to realize this injury was the perfect excuse to see him _more_ not less. She felt bad that she'd had to tell the woman that Birkhoff wouldn't care that she was in hands off condition; he was that lonely. Since it had worked in her favor, Amanda was quick to agree in a smug fashion, Alicia didn't feel as guilty for having to badmouth him yet again.

Starting towards the computer lab, a faint smile played on her lips as she walked the familiar route. Stopping in front of the tinted windows Alicia was able to see Birkhoff giving instructions at the head of class. Watching him only made her smile more, and she missed sitting behind a computer with him barking commands at her. He'd always been strict, and frankly a bit crude, but she'd loved his class. What he could do with technology was magic and the fact he could pass some of his knowledge onto her even more so. She debated going in as she watched the students get to work, Birkhoff hovering behind a few of the students to watch.

No one knew about her side mission, and she didn't want to set a bad example for the recruits, yet going in as her normal friendly self just felt awkward. Being lighthearted around her coworkers was one thing, but around a bunch of Agents in training? No, she'd have to do her best to ignore them. She was, after all, there for Seymour. _Birkhoff _she reminded herself, not wanting to make a mistake. Before she could change her mind and turn around to try again when he was alone, a pair of navy eyes caught hers through the glass. She hadn't even realized she'd been staring at him, and now that she did it was impossible to do anything other than smile at being caught.

He waved her in, moving around the aisles of computers towards his set-up in the back. She remembered that desk. _He's my superior, _Alicia calmed herself down as she walked down the glass wall towards the doors, _and we're a Team. It's only natural if I'm familiar with him. _Though she knew she wouldn't admit it, she knew the whole reason she even had to think about it was because she'd get pleasure out of being eavesdropped on for once. Being seen with Alicia was one thing Birkhoff wouldn't hear negative whispers about behind his back later.

Glad she was smiling, and pleasantly surprised she'd come to him before going home, Birkhoff felt slightly less terrible about seeing her so beat up. In truth, the six hours he'd spent out of communication with his Team had been the most nerve-wracking of his life. He'd known something would go wrong; he could just _sense _it. If it wasn't for the bag of twizzlers Alicia had left him to nervously gnaw on as he waited in suspense he doubted he'd have fingernails, and little known fact; Seymour Birkhoff took good care of his hands and nails.

"Look who's back from the dead," he greeted Alicia the moment she stepped into the room. Eyes were going to flicker to them anyway, so Birkhoff didn't bother to try and hide his voice; they'd just read his lips.

She smiled at him, her green eyes looking bright despite the dark bruising threatening to overcome the right one. "Or cloning," she responded playfully, "I was under the knife for quite some time." Birkhoff's smile faltered the slightest bit. He didn't like how calm she appeared to be about it; act or not. Taking all of that damage, going under the knife for a surgery only being experimented with and all for what? All to kill Kruikov on nothing but a hit order.

The Operation hadn't been for the good of anything but keeping Percy's pockets lined. Oh most of the money went into Division, the man may as well marry the place, but it was still _bullshit_. That was also something he couldn't tell Alicia. He didn't even talk about it with Michael, though he was sure he knew. _He has to see it_ he internally groaned as his eyes took in Alicia's condition. Because of Percy steering Division rouge his girlfriend had just gone through hell for a few lousy million. _If that's all they think she's worth _he watched as she came to a stop in front of his computer desk _I'd gladly buy her from them._ Trying to hide the smile at that tempting thought he met her eyes and felt anger at the damage up close. "Only for surgery I hope?" he asked, navy eyes lingering on the cut on her cheek.

"What this? No, I spat in a Russian's face," she dismissed easily with a sly smile. From the sparkle of her eyes he knew she spoke the truth, and he pretended not to feel a shiver of excitement at how _badass _she could be sometimes. Under it all he hated that she was hurt, why she was hurt and even more so that he could do nothing about it.

"So," he cleared his throat, relaxing back in his computer chair with his hands casually behind his head, "what brings you to my humble domain?"

Alicia sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I've been confined to Division so they can monitor the progress of my recovery. I _hear_ you have a couch in your office, and I was wondering if I could impose on you to borrow it for a while? I've seen enough of medical these past few days to drive me crazy," she smiled as she said it, and her eyes said it all. With her back to the students who were undoubtedly hanging on every word, a little look was able to pass between them. Finally some good news.

"Of course, I'll add access for you from here," he motioned idly to his computer with one hand before returning it to its post behind his head, "so make yourself at home. I've got newb duty for the next few hours."

She gave a nod before falling back a graceful step, clasping her arms casually behind her back. "Oh, and Percy said to tell you he'd like to see you in your office when you're finished for the day," Alicia added on an end note, "so feel free to kick me out if I've dozed off by then."

They both knew he never would, and as he watched her leave he noticed an increase in the typing pace of the recruits around him. _Put that in your pipe and smoke it_ his thoughts were smug up until his eyes locked on the deep purple peeking around the edges of Alicia's bandages. He spun around to find one of the male students watching her figure through the glass and he was quick to step up behind him and reprimand him with a knock to the back of the head. "Eyes on your exploit," he growled down into the younger man's face, lip raised in a sneer. Needless to say the poor recruit did just that.

Classes passed by at an all time slow, and Birkhoff didn't know whether to attribute it to being excited or nervous. He was beyond thankful to have Alicia bound to Division for the time being; the privacy his mancave offered would do wonders for his mood. As long as she was confined to the underground bunker that held the Agency he'd be able to sneak away to see her whenever he wanted. Even as he made the walk towards Percy's office he worried what the man would say. After the heroics Samson and Alicia had pulled in order to off Kruikov he wouldn't have been surprised if he wanted to organize their next high profile target. The _last _thing Birkhoff wanted to do after seeing Alicia so battered was discuss how best to use her next.

He reached out, pressing the keypad on the wall with gusto. It took a minute for the light to turn green and as he waited Birkhoff stuck his hands nervously into the pockets of his jeans. Wrestling the right one back out, he pushed open the door to slide into the room. No matter how many times he set foot in Percy's office he always felt insignificant and on edge. Blue eyes flickering to where the head honcho himself sat behind his large desk, Birkhoff eased the door closed behind him as he tentatively stepped further into the office. While Percy was busy on the phone, from the looks of it _not_ having a very good talk, he lingered near the front of the office.

His eyed danced over some of the artwork and sculptures, locking onto the one nearest the door. In the middle of an internal debate about whether it was a horse or some horse-bull half breed in the sculpture, he almost didn't notice the office had fallen silent. Before Percy could say something to get his attention, Birkhoff turned his eyes over to him trying to show that he wasn't just zoning out with his head in the clouds. "You have something for me?" Birkhoff questioned, wishing as he said it that he'd worried it better. He couldn't help it. The man was damnned scary when one knew about how he'd strayed from the cause.

The cold blue eyes and dry smile of Percy reminded Birkhoff that there'd never really been a cause in the first place. Though he liked to refer to it as having been _drafted _into the Black Ops program that was Division in truth Seymour was there for the same reason everyone else was; he had no other options. "Only a few words," the man responded, "which you'd do well to listen to."

"I'm all ears," Birkhoff mumbled halfheartedly, striding further into the office. He withdrew his hand from his pocket, running it instead through his hair as he took one of the seats opposite the large desk the man was behind.

With a hand he nudged the phone back into its corner before relaxing back in his regal leather seat. He waited for a second, looking at the Head Tech before him as though _trying_ to make him more uncomfortable than he already was. "It's been brought to my attention," Percy started in a cool tone, "that you and a certain Agent have been fraternizing after hours."

"Whatever Mikey told you," Birkhoff was quick to speak up defensively, "I can explain."

"You're not in trouble."

"I'm not?" the level of disbelief and apprehension was clear on his scruffy face.

Percy all but sighed. If it wasn't for the fact the man was so easily toyed with Birkhoff could have been a bigger player in Division than he was. Oh he was a genius, Percy had known that when he'd set the trap that caught him, but was he ever _annoying_. Between his immature attitude and lack of backbone it was a wonder Amanda hadn't broken him yet. For being so weak he was surprisingly resilient to the one woman intent on seeing him squirm. "No, Birkhoff, you're not," he dismissed the idea, and the smile he gave him was anything but reassuring.

"Oh," he muttered, trying to relax back into the seat. No matter how well he covered his and Alicia's tracks one could never be too careful when it came to Percy.

"I gather from your reaction you know who I'm talking about."

Taking the prompt Birkhoff nodded, swallowing despite the fact his mouth had gone dry. "Alicia," her name rolled from his lips as he averted his eyes.

"Yes, well _she's_ turning out to be a real crowd favorite," Percy looked as unenthusiastic about this as he sounded. His icy eyes scanned Birkhoff, letting his words hang in the air as he did so. He leaned forward lifting the glass of scotch he'd poured himself earlier, enjoying the nervousness of the man in front of him. "Frankly Birkhoff, I'm concerned."

It was moments like these that Birkhoff wished he could just disappear. Or rather, it was moments like these he wanted to hightail it from the office of Percival Rose and rework the system to lock him away for good. Of course he'd never actually do that, or even dream of it for it always became a nightmare, but he used the thought to keep himself subdued. Imagining Percy locked in his office teetered on the line of hilarious and dangerous to dwell on and Birkhoff shook it from his head. _I'm already cornered _he chastised himself _I don't need to make myself an easier target._ He could feel Percy's eyes taking in his distraught appearance in the uncomfortable silence that had followed his words. "Look it-" his voice came out an octave too low and he cleared his throat before trying again, "- it was just for fun."

"And was it?" Percy pushed him, cool blue eyes revealing nothing. Even the smirk on the man's face was up to interpretation.

For a second Birkhoff paused, losing track of the conversation due to the dread swirling in his gut. He'd seen that expression on his boss many times before, but it had always been directed at lackey computer techs. Now that it was being directed at him he slouched a little lower in the seat, noticing for the first time the ticking of his Rolex. "What?" he finally gave in, asking with a nervous twitch of his lip.

"Fun," he reminded him with a flat stare.

Birkhoff was too busy trying to follow the conversation react to the question with anything but fear. It had to be a trick question; there was always a test in progress when it came to Percy. Yet he didn't know how he was supposed to answer. Being the man in charge of Division he surely knew about Amanda's little plan, in fact he had to approve of it for it to even exist, but what he didn't know was Birkhoff knew, or that Birkhoff knew that he knew. It was complex and confusing really, and time was running out. He could feel his upper lip begin to perspire as he shoved his glasses nervously back up his nose. "Yes?" he answered tentatively.

Holding his breath, he watched for a reaction to give some flicker of a clue as to whether this was the right thing to say or not. All he found was a dry smile and eyes twinged with a humor that didn't include him, but was caused by him. Birkhoff sunk a little lower in his seat. "You don't sound very sure of yourself," he pointed out, one thin brow cocking up.

He blinked, hands closing and opening over his knees as he tried to figure out what it was Percy _wanted_ from him. _He can't know about us_ Birkhoff was quick to return to the phrase he'd been falling back on for months now. _If he did _his mind reminded him as he gripped his knees _I'd be in trouble. _While he didn't know if he honestly believed the man when he said he _wasn't _in trouble, it was the only thing that reassured him enough to regain a small amount of his usual sarcastic bite. "I mean, I wouldn't exactly call it _fun_," Seymour smirked the slightest bit just thinking about it.

"Unprofessional is more fitting," Percy responded, lips hitch in a cold smirk that wiped Birkhoff's clear from his face.

"I thought you said I wasn't in trouble?" he asked nervously, eyes scanning the office for Roan purely out of habit. Or Amanda, who would have been equally if not _more_ terrifying. Luckily they were still alone and his navy eyes slid back to the head honcho sitting behind his desk.

For the first time Birkhoff realized he sat lower than Percy as he tilted his gaze up in order to meet his eyes. "What you do in your time off is of no interest to me Birkhoff. I would, however, advise a little something called _discretion_," once more a pointed, if not haughty, look was paired with his words. Pausing for effect, and to take another drink of his scotch, he let computer tech stew for a little bit.

Despite knowing he was doing it on purpose, Birkhoff returned to his palms to his knees, drumming his fingers on the dark jeans that covered them to sooth his nerves. "Won't happen again boss," his tone was surprisingly sarcastic, especially compared to how meek it'd sounded when he thought it. It was for this reason Birkhoff rarely thought before he spoke. Everything just came tumbling out; if it wasn't his words he couldn't control then it was his tone.

"I'll hold you to that," Percy promised with a brief nod. Tilting the glass he poured the remainder of his drink over his lips and into his mouth. With a swallow it was down his throat, a warm sensation following it down known as the burn of alcohol. Normally he would have preferred tea, but events as of late had stretched him thin.

"Well if that's all-"

"Sit down Birkhoff," Percy's sharp tone made the man quickly fall back into his seat, giving up his attempt at escaping. He sighed, shaking his head at the Head Technician in disappointment. _At least Michael has nerves_ he thought of his right hand man. Michael may be a soft touch with the recruits compared to Birkhoff, but when it came to standing their ground he outlasted the computer jokey any day of the week. It was because of this he had allowed Amanda her little pet project. When the time came to pull on Birkhoff's leash he'd be on the other end with his tail between his legs.

Leaning forward in his seat Percy clasped his hands together on the desk as he resumed full eye contact so as to make sure his point was understood the first time. He was _not _a man who enjoyed repeating himself. "Now, let's have a little chat about _Alicia_," he said her name delicately, as though testing out how it sounded coming from his mouth.

A chill ran down Alicia's spine, her eyes easing open as she woke with the ominous feeling someone was watching her. She took a moment to wake up the rest of the way before easing herself up on the brown leather couch. It only took a second to assess she was still alone in Birkhoff's lair as she'd dubbed it. _This is where he spends most of his time_ she thought in awe and not for the first time. There'd been a time when seeing Birkhoff in Op's made her heart beat a little faster knowing she was in his territory. It felt even better to know that she fit in, that when she was in the Command Center she wasn't a mere waste of space.

There was an aching pain coming from her ribs and her hand drifted to rest on the bandaging that covered it. She made her way across the room towards his computer table, her eyes dancing over the elaborate set up. Feeling slightly intrusive she closed the distance, walking slowly as she allowed her eyes to eat their fill. She'd tried to wait, averting her eyes from Birkhoff's belongings, but it had been _hours_. Glancing over her shoulder and feeling intrusive, she stepped up to the table.

Alicia couldn't help but smile as her eyes flickered over the more personal touches he had littered about the place. An action figure here, a sticker there; little traces of Birkhoff caught her eye everywhere she looked. Even in the dreary grey pallet that most of Division consisted of he had somehow managed to make the place feel warm. Before she knew it she'd settled into his computer chair, gently toeing the ground as she spun in a slow circle. Dark with an almost spice to it, Birkhoff's cologne clung to the chair from all of the time he spent in it. Sliding her hands slowly over the material that padded the arms, she curled her fingers over the edges and closed her eyes.

The dull throb of her abdomen lulled her back into a sleeplike state as she spun slowly in the seat. She heard the click of the lock before the door, eyes lifting as she brought the computer chair to a stop. It was only a second before her eyes landed on Birkhoff, watching as he peered back out into the hall before closing the door securely behind him. A little smile crept onto Alicia's face as she waited for him to come further into the computer cove. If it weren't for the haze of drugs working their way out of her system she would have risen, but it seemed like all she could do was observe.

Birkhoff scanned the lab, his eyes seeking out Alicia before breathing a sigh of relief. "We alone Aphrodite?" he asked, taking the steps two at a time to come down to her level. If he wasn't so unwilling to take his eyes off of her, even for a second, he would have paired the question with a quick scan of the area on his own. She gave a small nod, rising smoothly to her feet before he could close the distance between them. "My crib is a safe zone," he responded to her eyes sweeping the space, "only eyes and ears here are ours."

"Something the matter?" Alicia questioned, looking up in concern. There was an unmistakable urgency in his steps and the moment she'd been looking forward to all day was put on hold. Birkhoff didn't answer, just closed the gap between them with another two steps as his eyes danced over her. "Seymour?"

Deep navy eyes met hers, a glisten to them of the likes she'd never seen before. The intensity held her captivated and she stood rooted in spot as Birkhoff reached out slowly to touch her cheek, his fingers grazing over the bruising. "You look like you went a round with a rock em' sock em and lost," he commented, able to get a good look at her injuries for the first time.

"I know," Alicia groaned, drawing back as she tucked her hair back behind her ear, "you don't need to rub it in. I've been taken off Active duty because of it."

"Yeah, until you're marketable again," he scoffed, unable to tear his eyes away from the bruising on her face. It wasn't nearly as bad as when Samson had first carried her in. Just thinking about the young man with Alicia limp in his arms made his hands ball into fists at his sides.

"It shouldn't take that long," she sounded almost worried as she said it, and his eyes found her emerald ones, "hopefully just a week or two. After that I'll be ready for action again."

Birkhoff almost couldn't believe what he was hearing. The look in her eyes was one of regret all right, and if he hadn't been so worried about her well being he would have taken her by the shoulders. "Don't tell me you _want _to get back to work?" he asked incredulously. A baffled look took over her face as she nodded slowly, making him rake a hand through his hair in disbelief.

"Of course I do, why wouldn't I?"

"Well _maybe _I thought you were looking forward to spending time with yours truly?" the hint of a smile as he posed the answer almost melted his heart. Through hooded eyes she looked up at him, hands slipping over his shoulders to lace behind his head. His own hands found the dips in her waist with ease and he marveled at how perfectly she fit against his body. Her auburn waves tumbled down her back, a few stray strands venturing over her shoulder as she had to tilt her lips upwards in order to accept his kiss. _I missed this_ he smiled inwardly, the kiss deepening even though he hadn't intended for it to. Something about the feel of her fingers as they ran through his hair made his gut clench in longing. He wanted to hold her damnit, but he couldn't for fear of hurting her.

Alicia broke the kiss first, pulling back to smile up at him. Looking through her long lashes at him she couldn't resist the urge to plant another soft kiss on his lips. "That's a given _Shadow Walker_," she purred playfully.

Birkhoff smiled wryly, one of his thick brows rising. "You'll have to do better than that if you want me to forgive you," he warned with a wag of his finger.

The teasing smile he'd expected to see instead came as a tightening of the lips. "I did something wrong?" she sounded almost hesitant to ask, as if afraid of his answer.

"Going all Bonnie and Clyde was a stupid _stupid_ thing to do," he answered, eyes narrowing to show just how serious he was. As immature and playful as he may seem he was still a full grown man.

"It wasn't like that."

Taking a step back Birkhoff turned, collapsing into the couch with a groan. Hanging his head over the back he stared up at the matte grey of the ceiling contemplating what he should be feeling right now. Part of him was angry at her and he was having a difficult time fighting it off. "So you _didn't_ charge into the depths of a Russian drug lord's basement completely unprepared then?" he couldn't help the bite to his tone. Once again Birkhoff had to rely on _Samson_ to bring her home safely. This whole Team thing was starting to get to him. Every moment they were alone together was another potential disaster just waiting to happen.

The sound of her footsteps caused him to lift his head, peering at her through the hair strewn across his eyes. "I just wanted to get Kruikov," she looked away almost guiltily as she came to a stop near his feet.

"And served yourself up in the process," he intoned looking sour at the reminder. Every time he saw those bandages it felt like his insides were braiding themselves into a rope to hang him with. He didn't _want _to feel irritated with her, in all reality it wasn't her fault, but the helplessness Birkhoff was experiencing was new and painful. Sure there'd been a mission or two where he worried over Nikita's safety back in the day, but he had _never_ felt what he had felt as the hours of no communication dragged onwards.

"It wasn't on purpose," she tried to assure him, eyes taking in the tightness of his full lips. _He's mad,_ Alicia didn't even question it; she could tell just by looking at him. "I had to make a decision or risk losing him."

"Maybe losing boy wonder wouldn't have been such a bad idea," Birkhoff shot back grumpily.

Seeing that something was clearly on his mind Alicia hesitated only a moment before easing herself onto the couch beside him. Tucking her legs beneath her, she sat cross legged on the brown leather as she turned to face him. "First off; stop calling him that. Every time you do I picture him in Robin's spandex suit and-" Alicia paused, a little shiver of disgust running through her as the image came to mind once more, "- and well it's not pretty. Secondly I didn't go in for _Samson_, I went in for Kruikov."

"We wouldn't have lost him," he scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"He disappeared into an underground tunnel," she pointed out, brows rising at his stubborn mood, "what was I supposed to do?"

"This thing called _wait?_" he supplied the answer like she was an idiot, "I would have found him."

"You don't know that," Alicia refrained the urge to roll her eyes as the words tumbled from her lips. The same sense of cynicism that he held for his students was clear in his tone and it brought a memory to mind. She could picture him almost perfectly behind his desk with the same glitter of irritation in those navy blue eyes.

Before she could try to take back her words he'd already latched onto them, eyes narrowing in anger. "Trust me babe, if I say I would have found him then _I would have found him_," Birkhoff's cool tone stretched out over the last few words leaving an icy feeling hanging in the air.

Alicia recognized the symptoms and she knew the cause, yet her mouth seemed to be on autopilot. "_Or _he could have gone back into hiding and we would have failed our first Op," her head tilted, auburn waves cascading as she leaned slightly forward.

Birkhoff looked away, avoiding the wide eyes that waited for him to show an emotion other than frustration. It wasn't fair of her to sit so close, not when he was trying to be mad damn it. He had so much he wanted to say and yet with Alicia the words didn't seem to come. He felt lost, confused and worst of all vulnerable. _I was worried about you_ he mulled over in his mind even as her hand found his _how hard is that to say?_ But the words couldn't come. The feeling itself was foreign in his veins. Never before had Seymour Birkhoff wanted to put someone before both himself _and _Division. How could he say that he wished they had failed, that he wished she was taken off Active duty and stuck back in the lab with him?

He couldn't. _Just like I can't protect her_ the thought flared up the moment his eyes returned to her. The bruising on her face was too bold not to call his attention instantly and he drew his hand from hers, getting swiftly to his feet. "Yeah, well, we'll never know will we?" he groaned, hastily shoving his hair back behind his ear.

If Birkhoff had been looking at her he would have caught the slight opening and closing of her mouth as she faltered on what to say. Staring up at him she was back at square one; stuck trying to decide whether or not to tell him the truth about the Operation. Clearly he was worried, upset even, and telling him that Samson had _saved _her seemed like the absolute worst thing to do. Her eyes flickered away, focusing instead on the hands clasped together in her lap. She interlaced her fingers, squeezing the one at a time to put pressure to the tune of her heartbeat. "I had to make a judgment call," her voice was soft, apologetic almost.

"One that almost got you killed!" Birkhoff's voice kicked it up a notch, becoming more of a bark than anything else.

"I know," Alicia admitted. In the two days she'd been confined to the medical lab she'd had plenty of time to go over the mission in her head. No matter which way she looked at it the best way to have avoided being in debt to Samson was to have never entered the tunnels.

He looked down at her and immediately his face softened. "Some good did come of it though," he found his voice after a moment of pause, "you get to stay with me while you recover." Waiting until she looked up, he gave a small smile and settled back down on the couch behind her. Slipping an arm over her shoulder Birkhoff felt the familiar warmth of her body as she settled against him.

"Amanda changed her mind?" she asked, voice soft as she brushed her hair from her eyes. "She wasn't so sure it was a good idea," Alicia admitted, smiling as Birkhoff rested his chin on her head, "said you might be bad for the healing process."

"Right, because I'm a deviant," Birkhoff snorted.

Feeling completely safe for the first time she couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, I didn't want to say anything…" she trailed off playfully. He gave her a gentle squeeze, stopping immediately when the bandaging on her stomach crinkled. "That reminds me, I need to let it air out," Alicia sat forward, too used to the dull throbbing for his hold to affect her. Standing up so she wouldn't have to twist and upset her ribs any further, she carefully peeled off the tape that held on her bandaging.

"I thought you just cracked your ribs?" Birkhoff sat forward, eyes sweeping over the surgical slices amidst a green and deep purple hue or bruising. When she'd been carried in by Samson Seymour had only managed a quick assessment of her injuries before she was being whisked off to medical. Work was suddenly thrust upon him and for two days he had nothing but the lab reports he dug up to reassure his she was okay. He'd known Amanda had signed off on a trial surgery but even_ he_ hadn't been able to find out exactly what it entailed. All he knew was the Shop guy had shown up, with his glasses and obnoxious cheeriness. The guy seriously creeped him out, and knowing he was on board for the surgery had caused Birkhoff to have nightmares.

Even after seeing terrible things, one particularly odd dream consisted of Alicia becoming an integrated human/robot thus losing her emotions in the process; the state of her now pained him to see. Alicia seemed less worried as she looked down at herself, feeling the chill of the air conditioned room for the first time as she saw the sports bra she wore. "There was the option to get them reset so they'd heal evenly. Amanda suggested it," she informed him calmly.

"With your best interests at heart I bet," Birkhoff scoffed, his mouth twisting into a scowl. While he understood it; he didn't like the blind obedience Alicia showed the dragon lady.

"It would have interfered with my ability to carry out certain covers," Alicia responded, meeting his eyes.

Underneath those words was a truth that stung; Alicia's greatest asset was her ability to use her looks to her advantage. "You mean your ability to seduce?" he couldn't help but comment dryly knowing that was _exactly _what the dragon lady had been worried about. Emotional espionage was as much her specialty as what made her Amanda's pet. Without seduction in her arsenal her value would be lessened.

She couldn't deny that it was true and shrugged, her lips giving way into a little smile. "They injected some sort of metal to coat the bone," she informed him, knowing he'd find it interesting, "so not only will it heal in place but I'll be better than ever."

Normally he would have cracked some sort of wolverine inspired joke, but frankly Birkhoff wasn't in the mood. He couldn't help but wonder if she was taken off of being a Cover Agent. He figured she'd either be switched to the Alpha ground team, made a Cleaner if Roan got a say in it or- _Or be a tech up in Ops with me_. The idea made him wonder if she'd ever considered that. "Did you even get a choice?" he questioned. Bikrhoff wouldn't put it past Amanda to give the go ahead without so much as Alicia's knowledge.

"It wasn't a very hard decision," Alicia nodded before settling back down beside him.

Feeling the cold of her skin the instant his hands landed on her, he shifted to pull the blanket from the edge of the couch over them. It was natural habit by now as they relaxed onto the couch, Birkhoff with his back against the arm. Alicia lay with her back to his chest, slim waist fitting between his legs that helped to warm her. Closing his eyes he allowed himself to relax for the first time in days. All the stress and worry lifted as she seemed to meld against him. Wrapping his arms over her chest he squeezed her closer, and the feel of her arms rising to cover his making his heart beat faster. The way she clutched him made Birkhoff hold her closer, and for the first time he felt something from her he'd never felt before; need.

Seymour buried his lips against her hair, pressing a kiss onto her head as he held her. For a long time they lay like that, the blanket and their combined body heat creating a comfortable warmth. He could feel the tension lifting from her body as she gave a soft breath of pleasure. Closing her eyes she eased up on her hold, moving to trace her fingers across his forearms. "What did Percy have to say?" she asked softly, breaking the silence that had fallen over them.

"He told me someone should keep an eye on you while you're confined to Division. Seeing as we're a team, and I just _happen_ to have a pad away from the action, it's only natural I offer you its use. Having you too close to the recruits wouldn't be appropriate; not for an Active Agent. So we'll be bunk mates for a while," he smiled at the news.

Once more Alicia couldn't quite believe her ears. As unfortunate as her wounds were, she was suddenly rewarded with a bright side. "That's why he called you in?" she asked in disbelief. It seemed like for every bad thing that happened a positive was paired with it. It was almost too good to be true.

"Well, it was more to warn me to keep my mouth shut and be on guard. I swear everyone thinks I'm an idiot. First Michael now Percy?" he grumbled begrudgingly.

"They're looking out for you; you should be glad. I, on the other hand, get to play the role of a mole who's using her body to win you over. Percy said he found it _unsettling _how_ casually _I'm willing to use my body," it was her turn to grimace slightly, her fingers pausing in their light touches.

"_He's _the one using you like that," Birkhoff growled. He didn't like anyone talking ill of his girl, let alone the very person responsible for every danger she was put through. "You know, I used to understand the work that came our way but lately the lies and secrecy are at an all-time high. I'm starting to wonder if there are any boundaries anymore," he wasn't sure what made him feel so safe admitting this to her, but the word found themselves.

For a minute Alicia was silent, his words rebounding in her mind. She was included in those lies and secrecy, and suddenly she felt guilt at hiding information from Birkhoff. "Look, about the Kruikov mission-"

"No more work talk," he cut her off, giving another affectionate squeeze.

Her mouth opened again, only to close as Birkhoff silenced her with a kiss to the top of her head. His lips lingered, pressing against her waves of hair, and Alicia's eyes fluttered closed. She didn't want to talk about it any more than he did, but try as she might she couldn't ignore the little warning going off in the back of her mind. Letting out a small breath, she decided to try one last time. "It has to do with Samson," her words came in the form of an apprehensive whisper. One thing she'd learned about Seymour was never to push him into talking about something. When he was ready it would be brought up, otherwise the likelihood of him shying away was high.

Just from their partner's name alone he had a negative reaction. Feeling his lips leave their lingering kiss, she could just imagine the grimace Birkhoff now donned. "Unless it's to say he's been abducted," he huffed, "I don't want to hear it."

"By aliens?" Alicia was surprised by how quickly he could make her smile. If it wasn't for his sense of humor she had a feeling her second chance at life would have been depressingly empty.

"What, you don't think he could use a good probing?"

The mischief in his voice coaxed a laugh out of her; something she instantly regretted. It fell short, her hand darting to her stomach as she quieted herself in an attempt to stop the pain. "I won't argue with that," Alicia agreed playfully. Before Birkhoff could question the state of her health she eased her back from his chest, turning to look back at him with her hand lingering on the core of her trim stomach. "But no Seymour, sadly Samson remains here on planet earth," a smile accompanied the rolling of her eyes.

Birkhoff tried to remain worried about her, but now that she was in his arms _and_ smiling it was very difficult to do. His gaze didn't even have time to flicker to the bruising on her face before he was lost in those emerald eyes of hers. The sparkle in them was unmistakable and he kissed her, unable to tell if the shudder of relief came from him or the young woman now curled up in his lap. "Well until boy-"

"Stop calling him that," she reminded him, cutting him off with a playful nip at his lips. He answered with a playful growl, a mischievous glitter to his navy eyes as his face loomed closer towards hers. "I mean it; you're giving Robin a bad name," Alicia scolded him.

As he wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his lips against the nape of her neck, he grinned against the warm skin there. She wasted no time in getting perfectly comfortable. With her legs now hanging over the front of the couch she sat across his lap utterly content with things. Feeling Alicia relax against the back of the couch he withdrew his lips from her neck, grinning at the beautiful girl before him. While he'd learned she wasn't a gamer, cards or video alike, she made up for it with her batman obsession. "Please, he was never any good to begin with. Everyone knows Batman did all the _real_ work," Birkhoff teased. _That'll get her mind off the D-word_ he mused, seeing her lips purse in frustration.

"To even argue that point you'd need to specify just which Robin you're referring to," she huffed, brows rising at his challenge.

Birkhoff finally understood how Michael felt when he had nothing better to do but pick on him for his nerdy passions. Had it been the broody Head Agent, the man would have shaken his head and found some belittling comment to make. But it wasn't, and so instead his lips quirked up into a smirk. "Dick Grayson," he filed off, quite informed in the Batman universe, "for starters. The kid wore tights and did the splits on a daily basis; you want to defend _that_?"

"You mean Dick Grayson, formerly of the Flying Graysons?" there was a glimmer in her green eyes as she saw recognition cross his face. "_Yes_, he rubbed it in the badguys' faces that he was an acrobat but come on- any sidekick to Batman has to get creative."

It was a rare day that Seymour Birkhoff found himself out-nerded, and he wasn't about to accept it without a fight. With matching smirks and little space between them he carried on the superhero/sidekick debate that he had started as a means of distraction. Not only had it worked but now he was entirely sucked in. Like with Batman and Robin he couldn't help but think his relationship was unevenly matched. Alicia was smart, beautiful and deadly. What did he have but big brains, big money and big dreams? Even working his way to the top he still remained inside Division: under enough earth, metal and cement to withstand a nuclear attack.

But like Batman and Robin they just _worked_. Every quirk aside, every downfall overlooked, the pair was drawn together. Apart they would survive, but it wasn't until they were together that they felt real again; that they had something worth fighting for. For the masked crusaders it was spandexy justice, but for the couple cuddled together in the depths of a ruthless Black Ops organization it was much simpler than that; it was happiness.


	21. On a Personal Level

Alicia raised her head, eyes lifting from the screen of Birkhoff's primary computer. He'd left only an hour ago to start his classes; the recruits weren't going to train themselves. After being granted access to the computer she had been left alone in his lair of sorts. Seymour had to change the security clearance before leaving and so, while she had the unrestricteduse of internet, she couldn't access the Division servers. Only after settling down in the computer chair did she realize there was nothing for her online. Other than talking to Birkhoff there was little she used a computer for; apart from Division related research of course. In the meantime she had nothing to do.

Judging from the constant dull throb of her ribcage she doubted she'd be reactivated anytime soon. The same injury that had her quarantined to Division and suspended from work _also_ eliminated the option of working out. She lived a structured life; following the same routine as when she'd been a recruit. The only deviation she made was to read books or watch re-runs of Adam West's Batman series on TV. She never thought she'd see the day where she'd turn down Batman, but apparently it had come.

_There has to be __**something **__for me to do _Alicia couldn't help but sigh as she shook a pill free from its container. Though Birkhoff had offered her the use of his mini fridge, and snack chest for that matter, she wasn't in the mood for an energy drink. The last thing she needed was _more_ energy. Already she was bursting at the seams with the need to occupy the time she had on her hands. So instead she swallowed the pill without the aid of a beverage. Any minute now the medication would kick in and she'd once more be pain free. Not that it helped her current situation any.

Her eyes flickered to the door, silently willing a distraction to come her way. Barely a second passed before the door swung open as if in answer to her prayers. She took in the dark suit of the lean man who let himself in without any warning. With a few strides of his legs, Michael was past the threshold and standing at the top step, his green eyes finding hers as he crossed his arms and peered down at her.

"In the middle of something?' he asked coolly, allowing his eyes to take in the computer set up she sat behind. When he had heard that she was staying in Birkhoff's office, or whatever he was referring to it as these days, he had prayed it was just a rumor. All it took was one stop into Percy's office to get the unfortunate truth; she was indeed posing as Birkhoff's guest.

Alicia smiled softly, giving a little shake of her head as she folded her hands together in her lap as if to show she had no intentions of using the keyboard. "Not at all, did you have something for me to do?" she sounded hopeful.

Michael wasn't fooled, his eyes narrowing in on her. If she thought he couldn't see that something was up then she was sorely mistaken. Seymour may not have been his _favorite _person in the world, but he was still a decent enough companion. They'd been a team, along with Nikita, for years and in that time he'd developed a bit of a soft spot for the cynical nerd. "You're presence has been requested in Operations," he answered slowly, lip twitching up in the faintest hint of dislike.

"I thought I'd been taken off active duty," Alicia commented with curiosity, rising from the chair nonetheless.

"You're the only one available with firsthand knowledge on the target," Michael hid the sneer that tempted to break through his control. The young woman was good at her job and a faithful agent; he respected that. But try as he might to keep things professional the familiar tug of personal issues got in the way. He'd been happy, albeit worried, to see how positively she'd affected Birkhoff's mood ever since she'd been Activated. Now the very thing that had once seemed an unexpected bonus had him irritated to the point of suspicion.

Sensing there was more to it than that; Alicia decided to hold her questions. Her superior's attitude didn't come as a surprise to her. It had only been a few weeks ago that he'd had a little chat with her down in sub-level 12 about Seymour. She only wished that she could explain to him that his friend wasn't in any danger. The problem with that was it wasn't entirely true; if anyone discovered their relationship he _would_ be in trouble. It was a truth she'd come to accept and had only moved past after reminding herself that she'd get it worse than he would. Birkhoff wasn't expandable, not like she was.

She paused to slip out of Birkhoff's sweatshirt, unzipping the thick hoodie to set it aside on the couch. While Amanda had a guard deliver some clothes to her, the lab was kept cold for all of the computers constantly running and she'd needed the extra layer of protection. Ignoring the narrowing of Michael's eyes Alicia crossed the floor to start up the stairs. The way he stood at the top, just a few steps up, reminded Alicia of the first thought she'd had upon setting foot in Birkhoff's Lair. _This room was built for observation_ the words echoed through her mind as she gave the room one last sweep of her eyes. The raised entrance to the door, the platform that canvassed a good twenty feet with metal railings that forced you to the stairs- it all sent a chill down her spine.

Watching the heavy door close behind them, Alicia tried not to worry about how _easy_ it would be to be confined not just to Division but a single room. Footsteps in tune with Michael's she followed him towards the direction of the Command Center. As many questions that were buzzing in her head she didn't dare to ask any of them. It wasn't that Michael scared her; that would have been preposterous. Instead it was the combined worry of being overheard by the recruits they passed by along with the risk of being perceived as unwilling. One could argue in her current injured, and _finally_ medicated, state that work was the last thing she should be doing.

Smiling at the lightness coursing through her veins she silently thanked Division's medical team. After her upbringing Alicia had always avoided anything that was in pill form, along with any and all drugs. Addiction was heavy in her family; at least she'd deduced that much from the three relatives she'd known. Her father died of a drug overdose, her mother died much the same way and her drug-pushing uncle met the end he deserved. While she'd been hesitant to accept the blue prescription bottle at first, now she was thankful.

Other than the bruising on her face there was no indication of the damage hidden beneath her clothes. Had she known she would be leaving the seclusion of Birkhoff's office then she would have covered up the dark green and purple on her face with a layer of makeup. It was too late for that now, and the glances sent her way as she came to a stop in Operations were staring to make her skin prickle. By all means she was used to the attention; being _Amanda'sPet _had given her a reputation that made her gossip central. Every time she found herself back in Division preparing for an Op rumors would find their way to her. Half of them were laughable and the others barely worth an eye roll.

She wondered what they would talk about at the end of her day. What was juicier; that the whole of Division was under the belief that Samson and herself had intentionally gotten caught for the sake of a mission, or that she was back in action her first day after being released from medical observation. _Why __**am **__I here? _she wondered what she was sure the techies who had noticed her enter were as well.

Clint could feel the level of activity in the room increase as well as hear the typing of keys pick up pace. It was an occurrence that came with the entrance of any number of the higher ups who would stop in. Usually they brought work with them, which was his reason for initially focusing on his screen and trying to avoid making eye contact. However, once he heard Alicia's voice his fingers slowed on their own as he tuned his ears in on the conversation that had started behind him.

"Which target do I have Intel on?"

"You encountered him on one of your missions," it was Michael who replied to her question, "but he wasn't your primary."

"Samson would be better informed-"

"Samson in on the field," the Head Agent cut her short, "and didn't interact with him on a _personal level_."

Clint couldn't help but flash a glance over to the pair the moment he finished his routine security update. With nothing else lined up he had the rare opportunity to listen in without his work suffering as a result. It seemed like ever since Alicia had first spoken to him all those months ago he'd been unable to escape her. If she wasn't in Operations in person then it was her voice over the com or better yet- her image on his screen. Amanda had tasked him with keeping an eye on her _pet_. He hated that term along with all of the secrecy that surrounded it. He often wondered what would have happened if fate hadn't seen fit to make him the techie behind the computer during her after-hours romp.

For some reason unbeknownst to him Alicia was different from every other Division Agent's he'd ever laid eyes on. When he watched her work he felt as though life was a movie. On his monitor she had seduced some of the world's most dangerous men with skills that would make the most famous actress green with envy. Every character she played, every cover she took on, she devoted herself entirely. Yet when he'd seen the young woman with Seymour Birkhoff, suddenly reality made less sense than fantasy.

It wouldn't have surprised him if he was only dreaming when the very pair he was trying to eavesdrop on decided to stop just a foot from where he sat. "What Mission is the target from?" Alicia was oblivious to the cool blue eyes that lifted to her face.

"You remember Operation Fair Trade?" Michael's question was met with a gentle nod. "After eliminating Dìaz's money man we picked up on some chatter; he was using his resources in an attempt to investigate _Camille_," he referred to a role that Clint remembered well, "believing her to be involved in his loss. However, before he could prove anything, there was a coup that resulted in his death and ultimately his replacement."

"So how can I help?"

Michael caught the eye of the blonde tech who appeared free of work, pointing towards the screen he sat in front of. Not needing to be told twice the man readied his fingers for the search he knew was needed of him. "We don't have enough to build a reliable profile. All we have so far is a name and a face," when he looked down next the target's file was prominent on the screen.

_Micah_, Alicia's memory supplied his name, recognizing instantly the headshot that his file contained. _I must admit_ she mused inwardly as she took in the familiar deep brown eyes _I'm impressed_. What had once been hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses was now unmistakably clear; he held power. At the time she'd credited her level of comfort with him to the fact that he was sure in himself. She'd assumed his confidence in being her bodyguard was because it was his career, but it was apparent Micah had a bigger role in the grand scheme of things.

"Searches have been inconclusive," he continued, turning his eyes back to her for this last part, "but we have managed to turn up a _single_ known living associate."

She wasn't sure what his blue eyes were trying to say to her, and when he motioned to the techie she was quick to look to him for answers. It surprised her to see the blonde haired man Birkhoff had once teased her for befriending, and as he manipulated the mouse she drew up his name _Clint._ If it wasn't for the pictures appearing on the screen behind him then she would have said hello to the familiar techie. Instead Alicia was momentarily ruffled by what now consumed the screen. They were pictures of Micah, sure, but they were also pictures of _her_.

Just as her eyes flickered back to Michael's to reach some sort of understanding he in turn looked to the computer monitor. "Aside from these photos, facial recog hasn't found a single hit on Miguel Estrada. The time stamps coincide with when you were in the area for Operation Fair Trade," Michael's eyes found hers, "making his only known contact _Camille Durden_."

Alicia could feel Clint's eyes on hers, but it was the accusation behind Michael's tone that had her brain clicking away. "When I knew him his name was Micah; not Miguel," she commented, deciding to start out small. When denying something, even when you're telling the truth, it's never a good idea to start out emotional. As tempting as it was to launch in to an amused explanation; she couldn't. Alicia knew she was on thin ice with the impeccably dressed Head Agent and smiling was one of the worst things she could do.

"He wouldn't be the first person to tell a lie," he responded pointedly.

Deciding not to take offense to the tone of his remark; Alicia kept her cool. "He was one of Dìaz's men; personally assigned to be my bodyguard for the duration of my stay. It should all be in the report," she looked to Clint for only saw those green eyes of hers for a heartbeat before he was carrying out her wish. It was an easy task, and he selfishly hoped that the next she'd ask of him would be something bigger. _Birkhoff's not the only one with a brain around here _he couldn't help but feel competitive. What other than his brain could possibly have attracted her? By all means he was a better looker than _him_.

"I'm familiar with the report," Michael responded even as Clint pulled it up.

As Alicia scanned it she realized that she _wasn't_. The words on the screen all reflected the events that occurred during what had been a twelve day away-mission; but they weren't her words. _Samson_ she realized _he handled the reports; not me._ He'd been Point so it had only made sense, but it left her at a loss for trying to find the entries she needed to back up her story. "There's mention of a guard assignment on day six," it was Clint who found what she was looking for.

She'd only started to read over the section he'd moved his mouse to when Michael spoke up once more. "It also says she befriended him for reasons unknown."

"It _what_?" Alicia couldn't stop the confused question from slipping past her lips. She looked up at Michael in disbelief.

He only nodded, crossing his arms over his chest as he met her eyes. "You were hesitant to engage Dìaz as an asset, but that wasn't the case for his bodyguard," his lips quirked up to hint at a sneer, never fully committing to the action.

"Micah was the source of the guard's frequencies I obtained," she attempted to set the record straight.

"Was that before or after ice cream on the downtown strip?" Michael shot back, referring to the photos that had been up only moments ago.

If Alicia hadn't been so practiced in keeping up a façade she would have grimaced. She could understand his apprehension towards her due to Birkhoff, but _this_ was pushing it. Aside from her relationship she was true to Division. "I had to get him comfortable in order to access the frequencies," running a hand through her tousled hair she decided to stick to simple answers. It was easier than trying to explain that, as Camille, she'd felt so relaxed after the hot stone massage it seemed only natural to include Micah. Or, _Miguel_ as apparently he now went by.

For a moment he stared at her, before lowering his arms back to his sides. "The report mentions you remained in his good graces _after_ you accessed the cameras," Michael pointed out.

"I did."

Clint wasn't sure where the tension had been coming from, but it seemed to lift as the Head Agent visibly relaxed. "The fact remains you're the only one with firsthand knowledge of Estrada. If you know anything you can contribute to the profile; now is the time to do so," Michael informed Alicia, falling back a step. From his pocket he withdrew a cellphone, checking the time before slipping it back into his jacket. "Assist her," he didn't even bother to look to Clint as he motioned towards Alicia.

There was a moment of pause in which they watched him disappear, Alicia lingering in place until the door to Operations closed behind him. It wasn't long before she'd pulled a rolling chair up beside Clint and was turning those jade green eyes on him. Like with Birkhoff, she launched right into work. As she recalled small details about the man Clint recorded them accordingly, noticing that _unlike_ with Birkhoff she always remained at a slight distance. His fingers worked on their own even as his mind had found a new track to wander down.

Ever since Amanda had assigned him with keeping an eye on the pair, Clint had spent countless hours with Alicia on his screen. Any time she set foot in Division he was prepared to check in on her on a regular basis. It had become clear that despite her naturally easygoing nature there were three people that she treated differently. What he didn't understand was _why_. In a sense she'd sought out the best of the best: Birkhoff, Roan and Samson. One was a technology genius, one a mastermind in _erasing_ people and the other an expert Agent.

It didn't confuse him until he considered her motive. So far he'd only seen her actively engage one of the men; Birkhoff. Of the three he made the least sense to Clint; at least the other two could be considered both deadly and attractive. The Head Tech was a sardonic geek with a god-complex and an affinity for anything virtual. He was a prodigy all right; but that was it. Division didn't only consist of one tech savvy brain and as far as Clint was concerned Alicia could do better. If it was smarts that attracted her then she need look no further.

"Has he done something?"

Alicia's voice brought him back to planet earth, noticing for the first time that she'd stopped feeding him information and instead directed the question at him. Blinking, he cleared his head of the crazy thoughts that had been occupying it only moments ago. "Who?"

"Micah, Miguel- whatever his name is," she shrugged, easing back into her black chair.

His eyes left her only long enough to scan overall status of the man's profile, and as he read he relayed the facts. "Using the firearms purchased through your cover, he orchestrated a takeover on Salvador Dìaz effectively seizing control of his assets in the process."

When he looked back to her it was to catch a small nod as she seemed to mull this over. "But other than that he hasn't done anything?" she questioned, quirking a brow. Reading the question on his face she tucked a stray hair back behind her ear before elaborating. "He's just taken over a small crime empire, putting himself on our map; that much I gather. What I want to know is if he's done anything other than that. Say, an increase in violence or crime related to his rise in power," Alicia answered easily, not a single hint of irritation to her voice. No matter how many times he managed to talk to her, the ease with which she handled everything always amazed him.

"If he has there's no note of it here," the techie commented, looking to his monitor to confirm due to mere habit.

Alicia refrained from smiling in relief. She couldn't quite explain it, but she was actually a little _glad_ that Micah was doing well for himself. After raking her memory for every instance that included him she'd been reminded of how nice of company he'd been. If it weren't for all of the underlying circumstances she would even go as far as to say they could have been friends. Though the name still threw her, she hoped that this Miguel Estrada was still the same man she'd met. Putting a bullet in his head for crossing the line would truly be a shame.

When Samson pushed through the door to Operations his eyes sought out Birkhoff's station out of sheer habit. He knew the man wasn't there; he'd passed his class in the computer lab during his search. The black rolling chair sat empty, its screen black and sleeping from lack of use. The rest of Operations was abuzz though and so he skimmed over the techies with his eyes, taking only a moment to zero in on his target. There, next to some blonde hair blue eyed techie, sat Alicia. Samson crossed the drab cement floor that separated them, successfully gaining their attention only after coming to a stop a short distance away. "What are you doing here?" he had no qualms about ignoring everyone but Alicia.

"Hello to you too," she smiled, and despite the dark bruising that canvased the right side of her face she actually looked _happy_ to see him.

It only lasted a fraction of a second but Samson's initial impulse was to treat her behavior as suspicious; he couldn't recall the last time Alicia had smiled at him and _meant _it. Rather he returned her smile with a narrowing of his eyes, crossing his arms over his broad chest as he gave her a pointed look. "You should be in medical," he scolded her.

She knew him well enough not to bother trying to include the blonde techie in their conversation. "_You_ should be on the field," Alicia shot back, one narrow brow quirking up.

"I got back."

"I got better."

For a second he stared into her green eyes, a small smirk growing on his face. "Your face says otherwise," Samson couldn't help but tease. Remembering her injury her eyes flashed, lips pursing as she considered a comeback. "Why aren't you in medical?" he rephrased his earlier question before they could get sidetracked.

"They released me yesterday," Alicia answered this time.

"But you're still on medical leave."

"Medical _stay _more like it," she commented, "I'm confined to Division until I'm fully healed."

Samson narrowed his eyes, smirk evaporating as his lips pulled tight. _This girl_ he mused _is crazy_. First she nearly dies after exciting her Russian captors, and _now_ she was treating her injury as though it were nothing. He'd seen the extent of the damage the men had inflicted on her; he knew how bad it was. Amanda wouldn't suggest a trial operation just on account of some cracked ribs. "But you're still on medical leave," he repeated, "which begs the question; why have I found you in Operations?"

For the first time since he'd approached, Alicia looked over to Clint. She'd felt his eyes flickering between her and her partner as they exchanged not so pleasant pleasantries. It was clear by his eyes that, though he looked impartial to the conversation occurring directly beside him, he wasn't any more comfortable with Samson than Birkhoff was. _Not my problem_ she decided, unsure if it was the medication making her more careless or the pain starting to rear its ugly head. "I was lending a hand in compiling a profile," she shrugged, not seeing the big deal. Even Birkhoff hadn't had any qualms about her being up and about after surgery.

"You're suspended from Active duty Alicia," Samson groaned, giving his head a small shake, "you should be_ resting_, notworking."

"Oh I think I'll survive. All I did was talk," Alicia informed him with a playful smile, looking over to Clint, "I didn't even touch the computer; isn't that right?" He nodded and she turned her attention back to Samson, not the least bit surprised he hadn't bothered to look to the techie for confirmation. "Either way I'm finished here. And I'm famished;" she admitted to the hunger that had grown right alongside the pain, "what time is it?" Getting up from the seat sent a hot shock through her abdominal muscles but it was easily ignored.

Samson uncrossed his arms, pushing up the leather sleeve of his jacket to check his watch. "It's going on three."

Alicia groaned. It hadn't _felt _like she'd spent the last six hours thinking about Micah. _Miguel_ she corrected her thoughts. His new name, or real name, was going to take some getting used to. "Looks like we missed lunch," she sighed, looking back down to Clint.

"You'll never get better if you don't take care of yourself," Samson scolded her once more. She wasn't sure where this sudden concern was coming from but when she met his hazel eyes it was definitely there.

Clint listened in silence, trying to keep his eyes from the Agent who was so aptly ignoring him. Never had a word passed between the pair; but he knew all about Samson. He'd seen the young man more often than even Alicia. In fact, 80% of the time Clint had his cameras trained on her she was with her partner. Add that to how often the Agent occupied Division's halls and a mental profile of sorts had been started. Listening to their back and forth he came to another deduction; Samson treated Alicia differently than everyone else. Even without looking at the pair that had started to walk away he could picture the difference in the Agent's mannerisms.

Samson wasn't like Alicia; he wasn't known for being lighthearted. In fact, if it didn't have to do with an Operation, the only time he bothered to interact with anyone was when it came to his higher ups. Without his partner, or better half as Alicia had begun to be referred to, the Agent was unapproachable. He was cocky, confident and carried himself like nothing that didn't concern him existed. Yet the very young man who didn't so much as make eye contact when passing another was giving a chuckle that could only be described as_ playful_ as he held open the door for Alicia.

"You know, I find it amazing you're still alive with how careless you are," Samson smirked over her. Apparently he found some sort of humor in learning she'd not only missed lunch, but had forgotten to take her medication on time.

"Skipping _one_ meal is hardly life threatening business," she scoffed, wishing he'd drop it already.

He moved swiftly, pulling her down a side hallway and turning to face her without any warning. Luckily she was used to his impulsiveness and the urge to punch him was easily subdued. "You're _not_ going without eating," his face having morphed into a serious expression.

Alicia didn't refrain from reacting with a sour glare. "I think I missed the part where I agreed you could make my decision for me," she scoffed again.

"I wouldn't have rescued you if I'd known you wouldn't take care of yourself," Samson's voice came as a low whisper.

Eyes flickering around the empty hallway, Alicia could feel her blood begin to boil. There was no guarantee no one could hear them, no way of knowing if those very walls had ears. There were few places in Division that she knew for certain weren't monitored. Using a recruit's room was easily ruled out; being alone with Samson in such close quarters was a bad idea. Sub-Level twelve was another option quickly dismissed. Birkhoff would worry if he happened to find her signal broadcasting there, and even worse was the possibility the designated torture level was already in use. At the thought of her computer genius boyfriend an answer hit her; _Birkhoff's Lair!_

"I'm not talking about this here," Alicia informed him before starting in its direction. As she knew he would; Samson fell into step beside her.

There was no need to ask her where she was going. Regardless of where she was taking him, he wouldn't allow himself to be distracted. No, he'd sought her out for a reason and so far he didn't like the outcome. She was _supposed_ to be in medical, she was _supposed_ to be off duty and she was _supposed_ to be taking care of herself. The very three things he had hoped she was doing were exactly what she wasn't. It was infuriating really. He'd felt foolish for needing to check on her, and now he felt even worse that there had been good reason to. Somehow she'd gotten into his head and the _last_ thing he needed was a reason for her to be there.

_What is it about her?_ Samson found himself wondering, and not for the first time. Ever since they had been made a team he'd had his sights on her, but he knew it had started before that. Ever since she'd outshined him during their first Situation together he'd known she was something special. His eyes lingered on her curves, falling back a step to better continue his mental evaluation of Alicia. She was attractive, beautiful even, but that wasn't what surprised him. What had him following in silence was the clicking of wheels as they turned within his head.

Alicia was nothing like the women he usually went after. _She's not going after me_ he thought dryly for starters. But it was more than the fact she opted to keep him at arms-length or her personality that set her apart; it was _everything_ about her. She was slender, the only meat on her bones in the form of smooth flawless muscle; nothing like the curvaceous women he typically bedded. Despite her small size she still possessed an hour glass figure- breasts that fit perfectly in his hand, a smooth dip inwards at her waist leading to hips that somehow managed to seamlessly tie it all together.

When she keyed in the code there were no large breasts for his eyes to catch a peek of; just a hint of cleavage. Yet, for some reason he couldn't explain, he wouldn't have it any other way. The very body he had once passed as _acceptable_ had somehow morphed into _desirable_. Samson didn't ask where she'd brought him, and when the door opened he followed her through without a second thought. The slew of weird feelings brewing inside of him could be easily quelled. All he would have to do is remind himself just how uninterested Alicia was. It was a system that had been working for him ever since he'd realized his dream of being poster children for Division. Samson would come on stronger and Alicia would reinforce her walls; it just worked.

Samson was glad for the impatience in her emerald green eyes as she stared at him, stopping the moment the door closed behind them. "Let's get one thing straight; I never_asked_ you to save me," Alicia was quick to launch straight back into the conversation.

"A damsel in distress never does," he pointed out, lips lifting in the hint of a devilish smirk. Quarrelling with her was not only his specialty but a hobby he rather enjoyed. It wasn't that he was masochistic but rather that it was one of the few times she showed any real passion. Samson knew there was a fine line between loathing and lust. The deathly glint in her eyes gave his imagination all he needed to picture the spark that desire would bring.

Alicia gave a dry laugh. "You are about as _far_ from a knight in shining armor that one can get."

"Oh I think abandoning my post to come to your aid qualifies me as a white knight," he shot back, quite liking the sound of that.

"No it just makes you stupid," she responded with a pursing of her lips.

"So you'd rather I left you with the Russians?" Samson questioned, a little put off by how straightforward she was being. Typically there arguments were comparable to their fighting styles: he was on the offense and she was on the defense. Now, however, she wasn't carrying herself with the usual casual disregard she held for him.

"You mean instead of jeopardizing the entire mission? Between that and having to lie about it; _yes_," she wasted no time in replying, "I wish you would have."

Samson had known there'd be some friction between them as a result of his impulsive action. Alicia was both proud and capable, a combination that made any form of assistance frowned upon. But the fire in her eyes and the defensive stance she'd taken on wasn't how she should have reacted. Where was the aloof Alicia who snubbed his advances so casually? _Something is off_ his brain warned, and he knew it had more to it than the rescue they were discussing. "They would have killed you," he reminded her, using the phrase to test the waters.

"Then I'd be dead," once more she responded with a shrug.

Taken aback for a moment he took in her face, scanning the tight lips and dilated pupils that were pointed in his direction. Somewhere along the line she'd lost her cool. _This is it_ the realization dawned on him in the silence that hung in the air _the wall is down_. Alicia was reacting emotionally; something she very rarely did. Usually it only lasted a moment, just long enough for him to get a glimpse at her inner workings, but not this time. Her guard was down, emotions up and an opportunity was presenting itself. And yet . . . yet the tug of some unseen force redirected his thinking.

Seeing her standing before him, bruised and battered, all of his ulterior motives went flying out of the window. "What medication do they have you on?" Samson asked without hesitation. _The signs are all there _he felt stupid for not having seen it earlier. The reason Alicia was acting irrationally was because her emotions were heightened. _She smiled at me_, the dark look on her face reminded him of earlier, _I should have known it then._

"Why?" Alicia didn't understand his question. There was something going on behind those hazel eyes of his, but she didn't know what. All she knew was that she was in too much pain to deal with him right now. Her ribs ached in an unusual, almost heavy tug. She could just imagine the metal they'd used probably threw her sense of weight a bit. Amanda had assured her before the surgery that it was extremely lightweight and very nearly undetectable. Still, she was very conscious of her body and the feel of something foreign in her accompanied the pain. She didn't know which was worse; trying to deal with her body's complaints or Samson's shenanigans.

"When I got shot they gave me these little blue ones," she was surprised when Samson actually started to answer, "for the pain."

As bemused as Alicia was at him answering her; she didn't quite know what to make of it. "Okay?"

"Where do you have it? Is it here?" he asked, for the first time looking at their surroundings. Before she could pull him to a stop he was down the stairs, taking in the room with a slow sweep of his eyes. "Don't tell me this is-"

"Someplace I shouldn't have brought you," she cut him off, realizing her mistake.

Samson finished his scan before meeting her eyes, running a finger over his eyebrow as he smirked towards her. "And what praytell, did you have to do to get access to the geek's _personal_ headquarters?" he asked, voice a playful growl.

"It's more comfortable than medical-"

"I bet it is."

"-and," she ignored his snide interruption, "it's just as well equipped. I can do my checkups here without disrupting the recruits every eight hours."

"How long has it been since your last one?"

It took her a second to calculate before finding the perfect excuse to make him leave. "A little over eight hours," she responded truthfully.

Before she could reiterate the fact it was time for him to go Samson moved towards the equipment, Alicia following wearily behind him after a moment of hesitation. "This one?" he asked, not bothering a glance over his shoulder at her.

Seeing as the machine had been the only one that was actually set up it was pointless to deny it. "Yes."

He nodded, eyes shifting to the various medical equipment Birkhoff's office held. A number of them looked like they were in the state of repair. "And _Birkhoff _plays the nurse?" he teased.

Alicia sighed, running a hand through her hair. _Well, he's not going to go now_ she admitted internally in defeat, _not until I give him something._ So she took the bait. "Why yes; when he's here he does," she answered with an easy smile when he turned to look to her.

"And when he's not around?"

She'd expected him to pester her more about Birkhoff, giving her opportunity to follow through with her plan of telling him to ask Amanda. It would have been enough to get him to leave; or so she had hoped. "I call Medical and they send someone," she answered, keeping up her air of ease with a shrug.

"So you can't do it yourself," it was more of a question than a statement.

"If I could move while the scan was active then I would. All I have to do is lay there while they run the program; the machine does everything else."

"Well then, let's play,"Samson smiled; an expression that sent a chill of worry down her spine.

She wasn't sure quite what to make of his comment. . . yet again. _I'm not in the mood for this_ her mind poked at her, reminding her that unlike the discomfort of her abdomen- Samson wouldn't go away with a simple pill. But to take her medication she needed to eat, and before she ate she _was_ due for a check-up. "I don't have time for games Samson," she sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"It'll be fun," he assured her with a mischievous smile, drawing closer to the machine.

Realization dawned on her, but only after he patted the firm mattress of the medical bed. "What reason could I possibly have to agree to _that_?" Alicia rolled her eyes.

But Samson was determined. He'd managed to steer clear of dangerous waters and he knew that if he played his cards right things may go his way for once. "I'm here, you're here, the equipment is here and would you look at that"a wolfish gleam was in his eye as he paused, pressing a button, "it's already running." It only took a second before the machine did indeed hum to life, the screen flashing white before beginning the startup process. Though he had only guessed on what to push it _had_ at least been educated. Even he wasn't too stubborn to admit that Birkhoff's lessons proved useful.

Alicia raised a hand to her eyes in frustration, giving her a head a slow shake as though in disbelief of his actions. "No," she answered simply.

"And why _not_?" he asked, closing the short distance between them. Hand lowering back to her side, she peered at him with brows raised, a sassy expression on her face that only made Samson smirk. He knew she had to be in pain right now, he knew one of the medication's side effects was irritability but he _also _knew that the last thing Alicia wanted was to let him win. "All I want to do is help," Samson added on with a soft smile as his eyes danced over her face.

"You've already done enough," Alicia muttered darkly in reply. _Again with that look! _he couldn't comprehend the reason behind her angry eyes. He'd broken the rules to save her life and ultimately committed both of them to a lie; but that didn't explain her attitude. Alicia wasn't one to dwell on the past and yet she continued to do so. If she was acting out of character then there had to be a reason.

Normally he could weasel it out of her, or at least get a sense on what she was hiding, but not this time. No, Samson had his sights on not only solving the riddle but defusing the bomb. As partners they had to trust each other on the field and from the way she was behaving he had the sneaking suspicion he'd lost that trust. "Out of everything that I've done," he asked, the question forming even as it left his lips, "why is it that refusing to leave you for dead is considered the worst?"

Her body tensed, standing a little straighter than she had been a moment ago. The hand that she'd absentmindedly placed on her stomach lowered and her eyes went emotionless. Instead of being discouraged Samson waited for her reply. "I'm happy to be alive if that's what you want to hear," she chose her words carefully, "but that's where it ends. If you're looking for a thank you; you're not going to get it."

"I'm not after one."

"I don't owe you anything," she clarified firmly; finally coming out with the core of their issue.

Samson was surprised it hadn't occurred to him sooner. "No one said you did," he offered her a small smile. He'd had no intention of using _that_ against her. Even he wasn't that underhanded. Still, she looked anything but convinced. "I acted on my own. When I heard you were alive I had to see for myself; you would have done the same."

"No I wouldn't;" Alicia responded coolly, "I would have taken out Kruikov when I had the chance."

Even with that said, Samson's face softened as his eyes traced over the green and purple that canvassed the side of her face. "You would."

"I wouldn't" she repeated stiffly. The smile Samson flashed her way was laced with a challenge; one he knew she'd accept. It was better to get it all out now then have a cloud following them around. "Division doesn't do exfils Samson; you know that as well as I do. Any Agent who isn't prepared to take one for the team doesn't deserve what we've been offered here," she spoke with conviction; a proud gleam to her emerald eyes.

"You're always bending over backwards for this _second chance_ of yours, so why are you _so_ willing to throw it away?"

"Perhaps you're confusing the bogus report we filed with reality. I got shot and captured; I didn't just hand myself over," she scoffed, shaking her head. Alicia didn't know what he hoped to get out of this exchange. Samson had to have some sort of ulterior motive, but for the life of her she couldn't conjure one up that matched with his behavior.

"And I moved on with the Op in that mindset; complete the mission, kill the badguy and fuck the rest. But when I heard you were still alive, well," his eyes lingered on her stomach for a moment before flickering to meet her eyes, "I couldn't just leave you there."

"You could have _and_ you should have."

She knew that he'd heard her despite the fact his expression remained unchanged. "Well I didn't," he stepped forward, that damn soft smile on his lips, "and if I could do it again the only thing I'd do different is come sooner."

Alicia stared into his hazel eyes searching for any indication of a catch. Samson forfeiting the one thing he held over her didn't make sense; not one bit. As playful the undertone to his voice was, the words themselves didn't seem to hold any hidden purpose. "What are you trying to accomplish Samson?" she asked, taking a step back in the process. _Oh he's good, _she mused, knowing better than to believe a single word out of his mouth let alone the emotions on his face.

Before he could answer they were interrupted by the sound of the heavy metal door clicking unlocked. Alicia turned, eyes finding the door as it was pushed open. Birkhoff appeared with a bag of twizzlers hanging from his mouth and a brown paper bag supported in one arm. _Shit!_ Alicia's eyes went wide as her gut twisted in panic. This was not good; it was not good at all. She tried to conjure up an acceptable excuse for Samson's presence only to find there wasn't one._ What was I thinking? _her thoughts chided.

"It's just me," Brikhoff greeted her with a smile the moment he met her eyes. She appeared lost for a minute before looking over her shoulder towards the medical equipment. He followed her stare to the machine that hummed with life. "Am I too late for your check-up?" he asked hesitantly. For some reason the thought of any of the male medical staff running the tests on Alicia rubbed him the wrong way. It was irrational, he knew this, but Birkhoff couldn't help it. In part it had to do with the fact they all looked like soap-opera stars. Even the older one, who he'd long suspected was a letch, had a decent look if you were into that sort of thing.

"Uh, no," her emerald eyes returned to him, "I was just warming it up for you."

He grinned, striding forward to set the bag down on the nearest table. "I got you some food," Birkhoff ran a hand through his tousled chestnut hair, "I didn't know what you'd want so I just grabbed whatever looked the most edible. I forgot how ominous the stuff they feed you recruits is."

"I'm not a recruit anymore," she reminded him, brows rising in amusement.

"That you are not Aphrodite," a smile took over his lips as he looked to her. It would have lasted longer if he hadn't been reminded how true that was by the bruising on her face. Alicia had been an Active Agent for months now; much longer than she'd been a recruit. Yet Birkhoff found himself wishing that she'd never graduated. Sometimes recruits that showed promise remained in the training program for a year- sometimes more. He wished it had been the case with her.

From behind the computers Samson watched, bent low into a crouch that only allowed him to see their legs. Hiding had been second nature, and the moment Alicia had turned her eyes away he'd moved. Not knowing where he was going he ducked behind the nearest thing that would provide cover: the overcrowded computer desks. He grimaced as he watched the computer geek's sneakers draw nearer to Alicia's feet. As much as he wanted to know firsthand just what the two were up to it still felt frustrating beyond words to see the two together; period.

Listening to them talk he realized that nothing would be gained from this unexpected in. Alicia knew that he was hiding away out of site, and while she did an amazing job of hiding that fact, she was clearly playing it safe. The flirting between the pair felt off. _He really has no idea_ Samson mused. Unlike when his partners were driving him crazy over the com links Alicia was playing it safe. It left him to wonder if she was toning it down because he was watching, or because she had bitten off more than she could chew with Birkhoff. I mean really, the guy had given her access to his _headquarters_.

And what was with that nickname? _Aphrodite; goddess of beauty, pleasure and love _Samson couldn't help but wish he'd come up with it first as he mulled it ove. He followed their movement, the sound of their voices stopping as the hum of the medical equipment grew louder. Creeping forward, he stayed to the shadows as he moved to get a better look. Sure enough the check-up she'd refused to let him run was instead being done by the Head IT. Whatever Alicia hoped to achieve by leading him on she was clearly dedicated. So much so that Samson caught a glimpse of her lying shirtless on the medical bed.

Settling back onto his heels Samson eased himself to rest under one of the desks. He wasn't going to get anything from watching; he knew that. Listening was proving to be just as pointless. Aside from a pet name that he'd never heard; their conversation was mundane and normal. Birkhoff was laying it on a bit stronger than usual, Alicia behaving more subdued in turn, and frankly Samson was tempted to make himself known. He was getting nothing out of it but irritation. _Should have at least made him jealous _he closed his eyes and retreated to his thoughts as he waited. Why she wasn't utilizing him in her little plan Samson wasn't sure, and he also wasn't sure if the feeling that came from this was actually _hurt_.

He knew Alicia would find a way to usher the man out sooner or later; she knew Samson still lurked in the room after all. When the time finally came he had to give his muscles a minute to wake up as he prepared to move. "You can come out now," her voice rang out and he smirked at the sound of it. Even though she knew he was there, even Alicia didn't know where he was hiding.

It was tempting to make her search for him but the whim passed, and he eased himself from his hiding spot with a casual grace. "About time," Samson flashed a smug smile, "I was starting to think you'd leave me there."

"Why didn't I think of that?" though her tone was teasing, the flicker of annoyance in her eyes told him otherwise.

"Because you didn't want to leave me just yet _Aphrodite," _he ran his thumb over his brow, looking towards her with a smirk. The pursing of her lips gave him little satisfaction as he felt tempted to do the same. In his mind the little nickname had seemed so fitting and yet when he called her by it the effect was lost. It sounded cold and unattached, and he felt like he'd tried to laugh at a private joke; wrong.

"_Don't_ call me that," Alicia groaned after a moment, her fingers coming to rest against her temples in frustration.

His eyes flickered to the desks he'd hidden behind, quickly finding the pill bottle he'd spotted earlier. Even without reading the label he could tell just from the color of the bottle it was Division issued. "Yeah, I thought it was cheesy too," he chuckled casually taking a step towards where the medication rested.

"What do you want Samson?" she asked, sounding tired of it all. Instead of rising to his teasing she collapsed back onto a leather couch looking defeated.

"What do I _want_?"

"You may as well come out with it," she responded, emerald eyes meeting his. "You didn't seek me out just to chat; we both know that."

Samson was tempted to tell her that was _exactly_ why he'd shown up in medical looking for her. After completing the simple kill mission he'd changed into his civilian clothes only to realize he didn't have any plans for the night. The cute neighbor he'd been messing around with had become a little _too_ attached and arriving home late was in his best interest. Instead of opting to pass time at a bar he found talking to Alicia the best alternative. Samson knew that if he were to admit that she'd never believe him. She was being openly suspicious of him and he couldn't really blame her. Up to this point he'd always wanted to push her into just that position.

Now, however, it felt wrong. Samson had never had a very strong code of ethics and the ones he had were all self-decided making them easy to break. But . . . the usually lighthearted girl he loved to spar with wasn't what he saw before him. With bloodshot eyes, a bruised face and a worn-out expression she looked to be on the verge of closing her eyes and ignoring him until he left her alone. Even though it wouldn't have broken his morals to play with her, despite the fact she was also coming down from medication; he couldn't do it. It had occurred to him, yes, but it had also been dismissed.

Deciding to be honest he shrugged, already anticipating how she would respond. "I was interested in your recovery. I came twice before this but you were still under from surgery. You know," he'd closed the distance to the meds, sweeping them from the table, "you really should be taking these. They won't be easy to ease off of but they will speed the healing process."

Alicia looked up at him, trying to figure out what his game was. It wasn't like Samson to care for her wellbeing. _It also isn't like him to go against Division, but he did that _she reminded herself. Besides; if he was going to pretend to be a normal person it would be less stressful to go along with it. "They aren't worth the headache," she muttered instead.

"Coming down from them is what's causing your headache," Samson corrected her. He stepped up to the couch before glancing down to read the label. "Thirty milligrams? They only gave me ten," his gaze raised to meet hers, "and coming down was the worst part. You really need to take these."

"I-"

"You should eat first though," he didn't let her get a word out edgewise. Alicia caught the bottle he tossed her way on pure instinct, the pills rattling around in the deep blue container. She looked down at the medication that had been prescribed to her. **Alicia Linnet **was printed in bold as a reminder that she truly _wasn't _who she used to be. There was no reason she should be avoiding pills: Division knew best. "Let's see what the geek grabbed for you," Samson's voice broke her line of thoughts, her head aching even as she looked up at him.

"I'll get it myself," she tried to dismiss him, "you shouldn't even be in here."

He looked up from the brown paper bag he was sifting through. "Neither should _you_," Samson felt the need to remind her with a stern gaze. Grimacing, he returned his eyes to the bag before pulling something out. He looked back to her, hazel eyes warning of the scolding to come. "There's been talk about the two of you. It's no secret that the geek has a thing for you," he cocked his head to peer at her, "so what they're speculating about is your reasons."

Alicia sighed. "Let them speculate," she shrugged, not seeing his point, "I'm not worried about gossip."

"The way they see it you're being a pushover. After all, we are _Amanda's Pets; _it would only make sense we work our way up the ladder by any means necessary. In fact I heard you were _collecting men_," he chuckled darkly as he stepped up to the couch. "I'm supposedly one of them," Samson added, looking down to the sandwich he was unwrapping, "and they have some rather interesting theories on how you _won me over_."

Her brows drew together, frowning slightly at Samson's partial smirk. "So you've come to gloat?" she challenged him. The anger she felt was towards him, yes, but it was stronger since it was also on Birkhoff's behalf. _He has to hear these things every day_ she thought of how the recruits would gossip. In a super-secret spy facility you'd think life was exciting; it wasn't. After a month the glamor of going on Operations wore off and it went from a dream to a duty. One can only talk about Intel for so long, if at all, and it caused a lack of topics. Naturally talk turned towards the only thing left: other Operatives. Secrets were hard to keep when you're surrounded with trained assassins with time on their hands and nothing better to talk about.

"I set the record straight actually," his answer was one she hadn't expected. Even more outstanding was the fact his eyes told her he was being truthful. Now she was _really _confused. Before Alicia could even consider questioning him he joined her on the couch. "I couldn't clear up anything about Birkhoff though, seeing as you're keeping it from even me. You'd be surprised how many people expect me to know since we work so closely-" he gave a small laugh before handing forward the sandwich, "Turkey and swiss?"

Alicia looked down at the sandwich a moment before accepting it. "If you're trying at a guilt trip you're failing miserably," she warned him, looking to him with suspicion.

Samson just smiled, his arm stretching out behind her as he got comfortable, crossing one foot over his knee. Surprisingly he didn't make a move to get closer, and instead let his hand come to rest on the back of the couch behind her neck. "Paranoia is a side effect of missing a dose," he pointed to the pill bottle she had set in her lap, "along with migraines, irritability and heightened emotions to name a few."

Though she rolled her eyes Alicia didn't hesitate to take a bite of the sandwich. She'd been hungry, and even the bland taste of Division's food was welcome at this point. "I'll take them," she conceded after swallowing, "so you can drop it."

He watched in silence as she ate another few bites, deciding it was better _not_ to irritate her at this point. He wasn't lying when he said coming down had been difficult. The pain from missing a dose was ten times worse than not taking the medication to begin with. When she moved to get up he stopped her with a hand on her knee. "What do you need?" he asked, ignoring the annoyed glare she shot his way.

"I'm getting a drink," she answered stiffly.

"I'll get it," Samson didn't give her opportunity to object, quickly rising to his feet. "Where does he keep them? I know the geek has an army of refrigerators here somewhere," he commented, eyes sweeping the room for a quick second. When she didn't offer any help he looked back to see the glare on her face remained. "I know you're in pain Alicia," her mouth opened and he cut her rebuttal off, "trust me; I've been there. I'm just trying to help."

Alicia gave him a dry smile. "I didn't know that word was even in your vocabulary," the playful voice she usually would have used was instead cynical.

_Like the geek_ the comparison annoyed him, and he frowned. Where was that smile he'd been given earlier? "I'm not about to prey on you when you can't even put up a fight," Samson responded with a smirk. Regardless of her state Alicia would only believe him if he didn't deny he held ulterior motives. They both knew he did, and pretending that it wasn't true was insulting if nothing else. He knew; it was how he'd felt when she hadn't clued him in on her game with Birkhoff. The only consolation was she hadn't denied it, and so he decided to drop it for now.

"Then why stay?" she asked, eyes narrowing on him in suspicion.

Deciding it wasn't worth it to try and get an answer from her; Samson returned his eyes to searching for anything that would hold a drink. When he spotted the black refrigerator he smiled to himself. It didn't surprise him to open the doors and find a large supply of energy beverages, and he skimmed over them before finding the bottom rack contained bottled water. He grabbed two, just in case, before returning to her with the bottle as a peace offering of sorts. "Oh come on, it's just like the good old days," he smiled playfully as she begrudgingly accepted the water, "you and me sneaking around after hours to talk. At least here I can hide if someone comes along."

"You really shouldn't be in here," she groaned as he joined her on the couch once more. "If Birkhoff finds out-"

"As long as you keep him from checking the security feeds he'll never know."

"There's no cameras in here," Alicia didn't know why she was telling him this, "or mics. That's why I chose this room; so we wouldn't be overheard. What were you _thinking_, talking about the Op in the hallway?"

"You don't take care of yourself and you won't let anyone else," he responded sternly, his hand coming to rest behind her once more, "let alone me. This place wouldn't be the same without you; that's what I was thinking. I had to make sure you still felt some level of concern for yourself."

She uncapped the water, wishing she'd thought to look for it earlier. Alicia had just assumed Seymour would only stock energy drinks. While she knew he had to drink water _sometime _she honestly hadn't expected him to have a supply. The cool liquid felt amazing rushing down her sore throat only to be followed quickly by a stabbing pain in her temples. Samson had been right when he said migraines were a symptom of withdrawal no matter how much she wished he wasn't. She hadn't realized she was grimacing until she looked over to find he was staring at her. "What?" the word slipped out before she could stop it. She knew her irritability had been getting the best of her but she was too tired to fight it off.

"Your head?" Samson asked, ignoring her tone of voice. All the signs were there and he understood the pain she was smothering whether she'd admit to it or not. Her reply was only a sigh, which was more than he'd expected. He wouldn't put it past her to snap at him again. Instead she busied her mouth with finishing the food in her hand. Samson watched as she pointedly ignored him, taking in the damage as he examined her face. The bastards had done a number to her and he could feel his hands balling into fists as he thought back to when he'd found her. Turning back and shooting the men hadn't been necessary but sure had felt like it was.

It was like shooting fish in a barrel really; they hadn't even seen it coming. All he had to do was step into the doorway and let out a spray into the room. One pull of the trigger and a few sweeps of bullets from the semiautomatic and they were down for the count. He'd killed the men for what they'd done but he couldn't undo it. It was then that he realized he should have come sooner. If he had then she still would have been injured, yes, but it would have saved her a whole lot of unnecessary pain. Samson had felt she was still alive despite listening to his mind telling him otherwise. Hearing she was alive . . . he'd never before felt that level of relief.

But now she was here and she was beside him. As battered as she was she was still _alive_; that was what mattered. While he loved Division and the life they provided him he knew that without Alicia it would never be the same. It actually pained him to see her like this, especially when he went over all of the ways he could have prevented it. Worst of all had been the realization she would have died hating him. Samson didn't know why it mattered to him, but for some reason it did.

Though he knew she would object his fingers itched forward, pushing aside her hair in order to reach the warm skin of her neck. "What are you-" her voice faded off as he began to massage the muscles of her neck.

It was unfair of him, he knew that, but he couldn't resist. Samson was aware of just how good he was with his hands; even Alicia with all her reasons to protest couldn't get a word out. Beneath his skilled fingers he could feel her muscles relaxing and he focused on his task. Letting silence lace the air he worked up and down the back of her neck, resisting the urge to move to her temples. He knew in her current state it would do wonders but the possibility of it crossing the thin line he was barely managing to balance on was too high. The fact she'd let him continue in the first place was miracle enough.

When her emerald eyes drifted closed and a look of peace came over her face Samson couldn't draw his eyes away. The weakness she was showing was mesmerizing and, as she let out a soft breath from the tension being coaxed out of her, he traced the outline of her lips a hundred times over with his eyes. Of all the reactions he'd ever drawn out of her this was the sweetest he'd ever seen. Everything that had ever made him consider women inferior was right before him. Alicia looked delicate, her expression soft and dreamy as she allowed him to erase her stress with his expert techniques. Her neck, a most vital area, was at the mercy of his strong hand and yet her body didn't show the slightest sign of opposition. Though she would never admit it out loud she appreciated his hands on approach; she'd _needed_ the comfort.

It was need that had always made him dismiss women as anything more than a good time. That was all they did; need and want. _As if they deserve to be taken care of simply for being weak _the familiar thought flickered through his mind. His hand moved lower, kneading at the muscles at the base of her neck as his eyes lifted from her lips to her closed eyes. On her face the expression he'd always loathed felt like a victory he'd never expected. Alicia was strong, smart and beautiful- not to mention incredibly deadly. She was the first woman he'd ever met who impressed him and the last he'd ever expected to find such an expression on. Even more bizarre was that he _loved _it.

Seeing her comfortable with him satisfied him beyond words. She was relaxed and it was all because of _him_. There were no walls up, no lies hanging in the air and better yet not a trace of suspicion to be found. When her eyes drifted open, thick lashes parting, her eyes immediately found his. Samson had already been staring at her and he could see the recognition of this fact passing through the deep green orbs that gazed at him. He prepared himself for the biting words when she looked away from him.

"When did you get shot?" he was unprepared for her question and his hand stilled its massage in surprise.

Trying to get a read on her was impossible, and after scanning the profile of her face twice over he gave up. _It's better she extort my failure than put up a wall, _he decided to tell her the truth. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin the mood. "A few months after we became a team," he responded slowly, unsure why she'd asked other than to insult him about it, "it was on a side mission."

"Another one like you did today?" she asked, the news new to her. Alicia knew Birkhoff partook in other Operations, he _was_ the Head Technician after all, but she hadn't known Samson did as well. After being made a team the only missions _she _went on were with her two partners, the one exception being Amanda's ongoing side mission.

"I'm on the Alpha team from time to time," Samson nodded, "it's where I was originally assigned when I graduated."

She looked back to him, realizing there was a lot she didn't know about her partner. "I had no idea. I didn't even know you'd been shot," Alicia met his eyes.

"Yeah, well, you discourage talking," he responded with a playful smile, his fingers resuming their massage.

It was true; she had. Looking at him now an idea struck her. _I've been going about things the wrong way_ Alicia felt like she'd just had an epiphany. When she had learned Samson had some sort of plan for the two of them she'd kept him distanced; even more so after the bedroom fiasco. They rarely talked and when they did she was always aloof and skillfully avoided any talk that didn't have to do with work. She had never considered winning Samson over. The odd friendship they'd had as recruits had actually been fun in a twisted version of the word. No one could scheme and keep up with her emotional games like Samson could.

She hadn't considered he might have a soft side. In fact; the mere idea had quite literally been laughable. Samson knew better than anyone how to play games and could see one from a mile away. Yet somehow remaining defensive had produced an unlikely result. Egotistical, overwhelming and utterly persistent Samson still had a heart beating in that puffed up chest of his. "So how did it happen?" Alicia questioned, looking away from him once more. She wanted to take advantage of the opportunity, much preferring the unlikely friendship to his usual pushy antics. Even more unusual was she was actually curious to hear the answer.

"We were escorting a target when we were ambushed. It was an inside job and we were unprepared. I caught a good one to the shoulder protecting the target before we could subdue the threat. I was sent back to medical and Alpha completed the Op without further incident," he explained. Alicia met his eyes in time to see them drift to the pill bottle in her lap. "They fixed up the wound and they put me on those little blue guys. I thought I didn't need them and stopped taking them;" Samson shook his head, "_big _mistake. Barely managed to get out of bed for our Op the next day. Needless to say I didn't miss a dose after that."

Alicia picked up the pills, reading the label before looking up to meet his steady gaze. His hand continued away on her neck and frankly it was like magic. She would have told him to stop, probably _should_ have, but the relief from the simple massage was too immense to overlook. "They let you out the day after your injury?" Alicia asked in surprise. When she'd received a simple scratch to the stomach she had to take an entire week off before she was allowed so much as a computer Op with Birkhoff. It was another two weeks until she was on Active duty, and that had been her first Op with Samson as an official team.

"If I remember correctly," a smile took over his face, even going as far as to reach his eyes, "we saw an opera. You wore that white dress-"

"That day you decided to become a poet?" she knew exactly what Op he was referring to from the mention of the white dress alone. That dress had made her feel a level of sophisticated sexy she hadn't known she could achieve. Knowing Birkhoff's eyes had been on her had only helped with her pride, making her acting of the role even easier than usual. Thinking back she could remember Samson changing in front of her, but she had to admit she hadn't paid the slightest attention to his chest. "I didn't even notice," Alicia couldn't help but feel that a bullet wound would have gotten her attention.

With his free hand he pulled down the collar of the shirt he wore, leaning his torso towards her so she could see the faint change in color where the scar tissue had formed. Division drugs had done miracles, but there was still the faintest pink hue to the skin. "Through and through," he nodded, turning to show her the exit wound was just as clean. Samson felt her eyes taking in the sight, and when they raised to meet his he released the collar and relaxed back into the couch. "You were a little distracted by _Birkhoff_," his hand stopped its massage as he watched her open the pill bottle.

Ignoring his tone she took her medication, replacing the lid to the water bottle after finishing the rest of its contents. "Happy now?" Alicia asked the moment she was finished.

Samson knew the medication would be kicking in soon enough and she'd no longer be in pain. _She'll probably be tired too_ he knew that feeling the effects of withdrawl, even for a few hours, was tiring. "Yes," he decided that he actually was. He'd accomplished more than he'd ever hoped to when he put it all into consideration. Leaving on good terms was in his best interest, but as he got up he realized he couldn't just leave her there. Birkhoff wouldn't be done with work for a few hours at least and if he came in while she was sleeping . . . "But you should let me walk you back to medical," he decided, looking down to where she sat.

"Why would you do that?" she asked, giving him a confused look as she drew back into the couch.

"So you can rest," he stated the obvious.

Alicia stared at him a moment before giving a soft laugh. "Samson, if I'm going to rest it'll be here. The fold out bed is a lot more comfortable than the gym mats they call mattresses here," her hand patted the couch they sat on that became the bed in question.

He stared at her, wondering if maybe she'd been of her meds for longer than he'd originally thought. "You can't be sleeping here; that's suicide. What would you do if Michael found out? Or Amanda?" Samson demanded of her. _I can't believe her! _He fumed, the blank look she gave him an expression that said she didn't understand why he'd say such a thing. "And what about Percy? You must really have a death wish; you can't honestly believe they'd be okay with this."

"Samson-"

"No," he cut her off, "I'm not going to let you carry on this suicide mission. Whatever it is you're after; it's not worth it."

She stared up at him, surprised that somewhere down the line Samson had developed actual feelings. The fact he was standing up to her for her safety rather than out of jealousy in her dealings with Birkhoff was monumental. For someone like her partner she had never so much as fathomed it was even _possible_. Yet here he was; hazel eyes alight with determination. Alicia looked up at him and realized that, despite the fact he hadn't pushed her for information, she would give it to him. "You should bring your concerns to Amanda," her words found themselves.

Samson looked as surprised as she felt at the unexpected advice flowing from her lips. "Why?"

"She has the answers to your questions," she smiled slowly, "but I can't guarantee that she'll give them to you." It took a second, but she could see understanding wash over his face as he stared at her as though trying to figure her out. Alicia knew he was wondering why she'd told him. He knew that, if what she was saying meant what he thought it did, he might finally get a chance to get to the bottom of her strange relationship with Seymour Birkhoff. "That's the best I can do," Alicia added, breaking eye contact as she tucked a strand of hair back behind her ear.

"You won't get into trouble?" Samson had to clarify, hardly believing his luck. _The one time I don't go fishing for information and she offers it up?_ It had been an unexpected turn of events. Yet, as grateful as he was for the information, it would be for naught if she was put at risk by him pursing the answer. If she was telling him to go to Amanda that meant this went beyond her personal goals; a scenario he hadn't considered.

She shook her head, for the slightest second looking almost troubled by his question. He knew why too; they were both behaving unexpectedly. Samson knew that she'd drawn out a side of him he'd never been aware he had and he was just as shaken by it as Alicia was. Nevertheless he accepted it, finding it only apropos that Alicia had worked her magic on him as well. She truly was remarkable.

"My next review is in a week; I'll bring it up then. Don't worry," he added, staring directly into her eyes, "I'll approach it in a way that doesn't endanger you. You may be convinced it won't jeopardize whatever it is you're doing, but I won't take that risk."

Alicia couldn't grasp the Samson that had managed to make her feel eerily _protected_. It wasn't to the same degree of safety that Birkhoff provided her, but it was more than she'd ever expected out of her partner. He'd made her feel physically safe on missions, sure, but the sensation of trusting him with her wellbeing was entirely new. It was also a reminder that she couldn't let down her guard any further than she already had. "If you're concerned about risks," she felt the need to remind him, "then you should really go now. If Birkhoff-"

"I'm leaving," he cut her off with a wave of his hand, smiling as he gave his head a small shake. "Just make sure you take those as directed," Samson pointed in the direction of her pills that had once more found their way to her lap, "and don't slack off on eating. I won't always be around to play doctor."

Alicia rolled her eyes, throwing the empty water bottle across the room with a little scoff. Samson turned, the clear plastic bouncing off his back to fall to the floor. "You're lucky I'm injured," she warned playfully, "otherwise you wouldn't be so cocky."

"Lucky?" he asked, pausing before he could start up the stairs. Looking back over his shoulder at her, his eyes raked over her sitting there on the couch. The glitter in her eyes, the smile on her face . . . they were for him. Better yet they were _real_. He hadn't used any tricks to break through to her this time. "I couldn't disagree with you more. In my moment of hesitation it was _fate_ I overheard you were still alive; not luck," he corrected her with a gleam to his hazel eyes.

"Fate?" she asked, disbelief and skepticism written all over her face.

After one long look at her his mind was indeed made up. "I fear so," Samson nodded slowly, "_Delilah_."

Alicia blinked at him, taking a moment to absorb just what he was calling her. "That's hardly a fair comparison," she scoffed, genuinely insulted. Sure, in his eyes she was seducing Birkhoff just to use him, but that hardly gave him justification for such name calling. In fact, she'd expected out of everyone Samson would understand it had to do with her devotion to Division. _Of course I am actually lying to them. . . _she had to remind herself.

Samson knew Alicia well enough to read her expression perfectly, a little laugh coming as he realized she'd misunderstood him. Instead of being annoyed she had just _assumed _he was referring to her interactions with Birkhoff; he decided to set her straight. "When I almost lost you I realized for the first time _you_ are my weakness. Only, unlike the biblical tale, your death is the equivalent of losing my hair. I'd live," his voice was heavy, almost husky with his words, "but it would take a long time to regain my old strength."

The words didn't even have time to sink in before he was disappearing through the door. It closed behind him, the sound bouncing around in Alicia's head. She didn't know what terrified her more: Samson when he was being persistent or Samson as he had been only moments ago. There had been honesty on his face as he spoke; an honesty that sent chills down Alicia's spine. She felt as though his hand remained on the back of her neck; only this time his fingers were wrapping around her throat and applying gradual pressure.

"Aphrodite and Delilah . . ." she exhaled feeling breathless. All of the versions of the tales she'd read about the pair buzzed around her thoughts. It reminded her of something she'd learned long ago. "Beauty is a curse," the words whispered through her lips on their own. It was the truth. The more beautiful the woman- the greater the men who fell for the sake of her love.

Birkhoff was risking a lot to be with her. While he wouldn't be Cancelled, it just wasn't practical with how important he was, he would definitely be punished. With how much Amanda hated the computer genius Alicia could just imagine the horrors she would come up with to put him through. There was a reason she was known as the Inquisitor. Yet he braved it all just to be with her.

But now . . . now Samson had not only developed but _acknowledged_ his feelings for her. Comparing her to Samon's hair in the story? Those were some mighty big words. Even so he knew that she would never be his. The look in his eyes as he'd spoken those last few words had been suffocating; there had been acceptance there along with determination. He wouldn't stop trying; that wasn't in his nature. Samson knew wanting her would lead to nothing but trouble, and despite that fact he had no intention of ignoring his newfound feelings.

Though the medication took away her pain it did nothing to alleviate her worry. Samson's unexpected feelings presented new problems to an already daunting equation. Would he continue to dig even if Amanda decided to inform him about the side project? There was no way of knowing what he'd do anymore; they'd gone into uncharted territory. _Shit just got real._ Alicia sighed, closing her eyes on the world. If only it were that easy.


End file.
